DVD REVIEW: Dismal (2010)

DISMAL (2009)

LABEL: Cinema Epoch 
RATED: R
GENRE: Backwoods Horror
RUNNING TIME: 90 Min.
DIRECTOR: Gary King
CAST: Lydia Chandler, Tim Morris, Jack Harrison, Bill Oberst, Jr., Laura Kimsey, Will Triplett, Capel Kane
RELEASE DATE: December 21st 2010
TAGLINE: Eat Or Be Eaten


PLOT: Dana is failing Biology. To pass she must attend an extra credit assignment with several classmates that will lead them into a remote region of the Great Dismal Swamp, a place teeming with life... and death. While the group keeps one eye out for hungry bear, deadly snakes and lurking gators, they are unaware of the real danger. For the top of the food chain lives in a dingy cabin not too far from their campsite, and he has an appetite for human flesh.


FILM: I do enjoy a good ole backwoods horror film, them rural folk sure is scary. From TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1973) onwards through to the under-valued WRONG TURN films there is some goodness to be had with this sub-genre of horror. How does DISMAL fare? What we have here is a pretty standard group of college-type characters that include survival-girl Dana (Lydia Chandler), good gal Kimmy (Laura Kimsey), good guy Gary (Will Triplett), token black dude Jamal (Jade Arnold) and his sex-crazed gal-pal Shelly (Capel Kane) who head out to the Great Dismal Swamp to earn extra credit in their college biology class. Leading the trip is teaching-assistant Curt (Tim Morris).

Once settled in the group pitch their tents and separate into small groups and head out into the wilderness to take notes, samples and observe nature in action or something. Gary and Kimmy spend time together and develop crushes on each other, it's innocently sweet. Jamal and Shelly find a nice quite spot in the swamp and get their freak on. These two are a couple of horn dogs and Shelly provides a more than adequate amount of nudity to the film. That's a plus. Meanwhile back at camp Dana and Curt get to know each other a little better, it's pretty obvious that Curt sees Dana as more than a student but she's definitely not interested. Curt's a strange one, better keep an eye on him. As night settles in over the swamp the group start getting picked-off one by one by a hulking 7ft. freak called Idiot (Jack Harrison) that's fond of bashing people upside the head with a spiked club and occasionally snagging them with a grappling hook. The gore in the film is pretty good with the exception of some laughable CGI that wounds some otherwise well executed gore scenes. My favorites is a nasty little scene as one of the gals runs through the swamp and it tripped up by a bear-trap that takes her leg resulting in her falling face first into another bear trap, good stuff. Turns out the 7ft. freak is not alone and there's actually a trio of human flesh craving cannibals prowling the Great Dismal Swamp. Bill Oberst, Jr. as Dale (the patriarch of the cannibal clan) is a foreboding and demented son-of-a-bitch and he's got screen presence to spare - the definite stand-out performance of the film.
 

The story well paced but not original by any means. Your typical group of stereotypes out of their element hunted by cannibalistic backwoods folks, it's been done a zillion times (and better) but this one is decent if not very memorable. The swamp setting is a great set-piece and the shots are well-composed but the film is pretty standard backwoods horror that hits all the beats you'd expect and little else.

DVD:  DISMAL is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with 2.o stereo surround. It's a good looking film and the presentation looks great. Not much in the way of special features aside from previews of other Cinema Epoch titles.

VERDICT: This is director Gary King's first foray into the horror genre and I must say it's a decent effort but it's derivative and familiar material that we've seen time and time again. That combined with some lacklustre special effects work knocks the grade down a bit on this one. It's strives to be a WRONG TURN (2003) or HATCHET (2006) but falls short of the mark. Not quite a recommend but perhaps a rental. DISMAL (2009) comes to DVD December 21st 2010 from Cinema Epoch. 

 **1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

- McBASTARD

DVD REVIEW: Brain Dead (2007)

BRAIN DEAD (2007)

DISTRIBUTOR: Vicious Cirlcle Films
REGION: 1
RATED: Unrated
RUNNING TIME: 95 Min.
GENRE: Sci-Fo Horror
DIRECTOR: Kevin S. Tenney
CAST: Joshua Benton, Sarah Grant Brendecke, SDavid Crane, Andy Forrest
RELEASE DATE: Available Now!
TAGLINE: A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste.

PLOT: After an extraterrestrial parasite crash-lands in a backwoods American town – landing squarely on the head of a local fisherman – it sparks a fast spreading zombie infestation. As the brain hungry monsters multiply, three pairs of unlucky misfits convene on a fishing lodge for shelter. With zombies pounding at the door, the stranded, mismatched travelers must band together to stop the invasion – or serve themselves up as a main course. The problem is, they may lose their minds to each other before losing their brains to the zombies.

THE STUFF: BRAIN DEAD comes to us from director Kevin S. Tenney whose film NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1988) is an enduring Halloween themed 80's horror-comedy that was recently claimed by the Hollywood remake machine. BRAIN DEAD is a return to his 80's horror roots with a nice gory helping of sci-fi splatter.

The film has a great opening as a asteroid hurls through the cold of space on a collision course with Earth. Upon entry into the planet's atmosphere the asteroid burns to a golf ball sized cinder and strikes a fisherman right on the noggin with a nice loud PLUNK! Nearly  instantaneously the the man turns into a zombified flesh-eating mutant. When his fishing buddy leans in to offer assistance he's grabbed by the the eye sockets and his head is ripped into two - great practical effects, gore hounds will be enthralled. Great start to a fun if redundant horror/comedy.

Alright, our zombie-creature is in place and infecting others via some black vomit. Now how about a ragtag group of victims whom through various improbable means and circumstance end up at the cabin in the woods which escalates into a siege situation as the group attempt to fend off the flesh crazed creatures? A lecherous priest, the young woman he lusts after, two escaped convicts, a park ranger, a police officer and two college co-eds. To be honest the names of these characters just aren't all that important. BRAIN DEAD is not only an apt title but more or less an ideal state of mind when viewing this film, it's a real no-brainer which is not to say it is without it's goofy and gory charm. 

What BRAIN DEAD has going for it is some very good practical effects work though they are leveraged by some equally terrible Syfy level CGI and a familiar but fun premise, definite tones of NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986) here. What doesn't work are the rampant attempts at comedy throughout the film. I couldn't quite tell if the film was going for a 80's comedy/horror flavor or if the comedy was just stale and came across 80's style. I guess it doesn't matter if the effect is the same, right?

DVD: BRAIN DEAD comes to us by way of the always entertaining Vicious Circle Films and is presented in anamorphic widescreen with 2.0 surround sound. Not an astounding looking film nor particularly bombastic in the sound department either but adequate. A good amount of bonus content here none of which I can comment on as the screener was bare-bones.

Special Features
- Commentary by Director Kevin S. Tenney, Producer Greg McKay and members of the cast
- Behind the Screams - The Making of BRAIN DEAD Documentary
- Blooper Reel and Deleted Scenes with optional Commentary
- Theatrical Trails

VERDICT: A low-budget splatter-fest that's worth a watch. I'd place this along the lines of the Spierig Bros. UNDEAD (2003) or Jake West's DOGHOUSE (2009) which mine similiar territory. A decent indie horror interupted by some poor attempts at comedy. A medium recommend from me on this one.  **1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)



- McBASTARD

A letter from SCREAM DREAM (1989) director Donald Farmer

I reviewed director Donald Farmers 1989 shot-on-video feature SCREAM QUEEN back in November when it was released on DVD by SRS Video. The films is an obscure no-budget rock n' roll horror flick along the lines of BLACK ROSES or TRICK OR TREAT that truly left quite a bit to be desired but I admired the lo-fi approach and spirit of the film quite a bit. The director of that film sent me an email and I'm reprinting it here with his permission. It details a bit of his filmography as well as his career as a reality TV actor. Not mentioned in the letter but Don also appeared as an uncredited underground zombie in George A. Romero's  DAY OF THE DEAD (1985).

  

Hi McBastard,

Thanks for reviewing my 80's movie SCREAM DREAM on your site. . . I think you're the first site to review it since the DVD wasrelease. I agree that old three-quarter inch 80's videography is pretty tough going to watch. I can barely stand to watch it today.

To answer your question about my most recent movie CHAINSAW CHEERLEADERS, here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9qhic7z-0I

Also, you can see the trailer for my other recent DVD release DEADLY MEMORIES if you type that title into the search window at YouTube. It was actually shot on film and has a little more money in the budget. In real life, the girlfriend of one of the stars (the guy who gets his head drilled) is Maggie Grace, now filming the Twilight movie BREAKING DAWN. Wish she could hook me up with a TWILIGHT sized budget, but not holding my breath.

I'm also a reality TV actor, you can see my clips from a VH1 show I recently did at www.myspace.com/donaldfarmer

Also got some episodes of my online interview show DONALDVISION there.

I did a string of bigger budgeted TV movies in the 90's (COMPELLING EVIDENCE with Brigitte Nielsen, VICIOUS KISS with Margaux Hemingway, BLOOD AND HONOR with Miles O'Keeffe) but now I'm back to lower budgets like on DORM OF THE DEAD and CHAINSAW CHEERLEADERS. I also recently did a semi-respectable anti-war documentary called WHOSE WAR that stars Mike Farrell from TVs M*A*S*H and Keith Gordon from CHRISTINE and DRESSED TO KILL. Just type WHOSE WAR into search window at YouTube.com to see a clip.

Thanks again!

Donald Farmer

www.myspace.com/donaldfarmer

DVD REVIEW: Run! Bitch Run! (2009)

RUN! BITCH RUN! (2009)

STUDIO: Vicious Circle Films
REGION: 1
RATED: Unrated
RUNNING TIME: 86 Min.
GENRE: Exploitation, Horror
DIRECTOR: Joseph Guzman
CAST: Cheryl Lyone, Christina DeRosa, Peter Tahoe, Johnny Winchester
RELEASE DATE: Available Now!
TAGLINE: Payback's a Bitch!


PLOT: Catherine and Rebecca are two Catholic School girls going door-to-door selling Religious paraphernalia in order to pay for their books and education. Things go horribly wrong when they knock on the wrong door in the wrong neighborhood. Run! Bitch Run! is a throw back to the classic 1970's Rape and Revenge films like 'Last House On the Left' and 'Ms. 45'.

FILM: I've seen a lot of films come along that advertise themselves as throwbacks to the seedy 70's grindhouse and exploitation films with taglines incorporating phrases like "in the tradition of..." or "soon to be cult classic" to know they're mostly full o' shit. These hollow slogans are nifty selling points but rarely do the films live up to the hype or essence of the iconic genre films they namedrop. That said RUN! BITCH RUN! is a true spirited throwback to the straight-faced rape revenge grinders from the 70's like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978) and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) - it's sleazy stuff that's hard to watch but quite entertaining if you have the stomach for it.

Catherine (Cheryl Lyone) and Rebecca (Christina DeRosa) are two super-sexy Catholic school girls that are selling bibles door-to-door. They find themselves in the town of Mosely - a true shit-hole that's home to a few cranky-bitches, a junkyard and a cathouse run by a slimy drug dealing pimp named Lobo who hangs with a stuttering side-kick named Clint and a crazy bitch named Marla. The girls have picked a bad day to interrupt the goings-on at the cathouse. Inside Clint is getting busy while watching a nun-sploitation nudie-film called NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS, Marla's in the shitter violently masturbating with wooden toilet plunger handle (Ouch! Slivers?) and Lobo has just blasted one his whores for swiping his heroin. As you might expect the trio aren't willing to let the girls leave. This is really when the elements from LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT come into play -  the sadistic male leader, the weak willed scummy sidekick and a sex-depraved bitch holding two young women hostage who are made to perform vile sex acts, pretty familiar territory. There's a true excess of nudity and demeaning sex acts here and it's all rather repulsive stuff. This is pure 100% rape revenge exploitation down to the acts of forced fellatio, rape, degradation and that old chestnut - necrophilia - not for the squeamish or easily offended because it is offensive. We also get some definite Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez flavors. The soundtrack recalls the GRINDHOUSE main title theme, it's pretty swanky stuff with a deep throbbing base and tasty desert rock riffing and a toe-sucking scene that would do Tarantino's foot fetish proud. Beaten, raped and debased Catherine is left for dead in the wilderness after a nasty game of hide n' fuck that is pure I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE homage. She limps her way through the forest and collapses along a road where she is discovered by a passerby. In a scene that strongly recalls KILL BILL Catherine wakens in a hospital room and dons a nurse's uniform and begins her methodical bloody streak of vengeance against those that have defiled her.

What worked? Pretty much everything for me. Sure, it's derivative of the aforementioned genre rape/revenge classic, very much so, but the acting is good all around, it hits all the right notes and it has some decent cinematography which both Last House and I Spit lacked. It's a bit of a greatest hits and that fine by me. What didn't work? As depraved as the film is it seemed to shy away from the violence. There's not much gore here and I think the gorehounds will be disappointed as the headshots and shotgun blasts occur just off screen. This is probably a budgetary in nature and I can abide it. Some will take issue with it's derivative nature but as stated before it's a non-issue for me.


DVD: RUN! BITCH RUN! comes to DVD from VICIOUS CIRCLE FILMS. The film is presented in 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Surround 2.0 soundtrack. No subtitles option available. The film looks great, it's gritty and low-budget but looks awesome and well-shot, great stuff. The 2.0 soundtrack handles the soundtrack well including the sweet-ass film score. Tons of special features included none of which I can comment on
as I was sent bare-bones screener (sigh).


 Special Features:
- NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS Short Film
- RUN! BITCH RUN! Original Trailer
- Sluts on Parade Magazine Spread Photo Gallery
- RUN! BITCH RUN! Screenplay (DVD-ROM Content only)

VERDICT: RUN! BITCH RUN! is a nasty bit o' grindhouse sleaze. It's offensive, it's derivative and it's entertaining. A fine-tuned homage to the exploitation classics that came before and a hell of a debut from director Joseph Guzman.  ***1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)


- McBASTARD

BOOK REVIEW: Robert R. Best's ASHTON MEMORIAL (2010)

ASHTON MEMORIAL (2010)
Book 2 of a Zombie Trilogy

by Robert R. Best

ASHTON MEMORIAL (2010) is Book 2 of a Zombie Trilogy that began with Robert R. Best's LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL (2009). The author has created a work of zombie-fiction that taps into something George A. Romero proved many years ago - great zombie fiction is at it's best when it lays bare the raw emotional human drama as it unfolds during times of extreme crisis and not just reveling in the gut-strewn gore and excess of decomposing zombie flesh-lust ...but there's plenty of that, too.  

The book is populated by a core group of returning characters from LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL. Angela Land and her 14-year old daughter Maylee and 12-year old son Dalton. They're accompanied by Parker Welch, a rough around the edges but good natured fella. Having just escaped the madness of the events that unfolded in LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL they are in search of safety and family. The character are likable and well defined. Angela is mother driven by the safety or her children, uber-maternal instincts. I pity the undead geeks who come between her and her brood. She's constantly at odds with her rebellious daughter who's only just 15 but supremely feisty, independent and pretty handy with a bat, a real skull-crusher. This relationship would be a struggle on a trip to the mall let alone surviving the undead horde of flesh starved zombies. Dalton grates on his sister's nerves the way younger sibling are apt to, it's a great dynamic that gives depth to their emotional bonds. Tag-a-long Parker is a stubborn and determined character, he yearns to reconnect with his estranged daughters Ella and Lori who he hasn't seen in years. Nothing says family reunion like a zombie apocalypse ...or is that nothing feels like a zombie apocalypse like a family reunion?

The search for Parker's daughters leads them to the town of Ashton and then onto the Ashton Memorial Zoo. The zoo is locked-down but there are more than wild animals and zombies to fend off, there. Everyday folk pushed to their limits are losing their shit including the crazed stepfather of Parker's twins. The zoo setting is a stroke of genius, why has this not been thought of before? Wild animals, crazed people and a flesh-eating zombies - how can you go wrong? Man vs. animal vs. zombie - that's a triple win folks and it makes for some damn great reading.

Something I love about ASHTON MEMORIAL is that you need not have read LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL to appreciate it. I didn't feel lost other than during the first few pages as I was getting-up to speed with the characters. Why do I tell you this? Well, being the philistine that I am I haven't read the 1st part of the trilogy but I'm here to tell you it did not hinder my enjoyment in any way. Regardless, I recommend checking it out as it can only serve to further your enjoyment. I fully intend to go back and check it out when I can.

The book is loaded with tons o' of gory zombie action and great descriptions of the rotting undead coming to their  splattery ends via knife, gun, bat and brutal blunt force trauma. Not only the zombies take casualties however, there is loss of human life and it cuts deep. We are with these character 100% and it's nail-biting stuff when they're lives are endangered (i.e. every other page!).  Robert R. Best really delivers the emotional struggle of the human characters and still is able to pack the page with fast paced breathless action. ASHTON MEMORIAL is a truly compelling read. A high recommend from me. I cannot wait to see where Best takes us with the final chapter of the Memorial Trilogy.
**** (4 out of 5 stars)

ASHTON MEMORIAL is published by 
Library of the Living Dead
and available through AMAZON.

Also check out

LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL

Book 1 of a Zombie Trilogy

http://robertrbest.com

http://twitter.com/RobertRBest
http://thelibraryofthelivingdead.com/

DVD REVIEW: Someone's Knocking At The Door (2009)

SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR (2010)

STUDIO: Vicious Cirlcle Films
REGION: 1
RATED: Unrated
RUNNING TIME: 80 Min.
GENRE: Exploitation, Horror
RUNNING TIME:
DIRECTOR: Chad Ferrin
CAST: Noah Segan, Timothy Muskatell, Andrea Rudea, Jon Budinoff, Silvia Spross, Rocardo Gray, Vernon Well, Ezra Buzzington
RELEASE DATE: Available Now!

PLOT: A gruesome and graphic horror tale about a group of unsuspecting friends being terrorized by a pair of psycho killers. In a nod to those classic '70's indie splatter films, the story follows six college classmates on a drug - and sex filled week-end. When one of them is brutally murdered, it soon becomes clear that one by one they are being stalked by the unknown killers. Someone's Knocking at the Door is Russ Meyer meets Dario Argento, in which youthful, voluptuous bodies find their doom in a blood-splattered orgy of murder and sex. A unique and original grindhouse thriller that will keep you guessing right up until its unpredictable and shocking ending. (from BreakingGlassPictures.com)FILM:

FILM: Director Chad Ferrin has made a handful of well-written, shocking and highly entertaining features beginning with THE GHOULS (2003) and wickedly awesome EASTER BUNNY, KILL! KILL! (2006) and now we have the slasher mind-fuck SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR (2009) which easily cements him as one of my favorite up and coming horror writer/directors. This time out a group of frisky drug-dabbling medical school students decide to make for the basement of a psychiatric center and shoot an unknown drug while reading case files and listening to audio recording of two infamous former patients John and Wilma Hopper who had the unsavory m.o. of quite literally fucking their victims to death with their abnormally large genitalia. How large you say? I knew you'd ask you pervs -  a 15" dis-member with a 4" circumference and cavern so large that it definitely has some head-room. Shortly after their drug-taking adventure the group find themselves being hunted one-by-one by the gruesome twosome and shockingly raped until death.

The film has a strong cast. Ferrin brings a few of his EASTER BUNNY, KILL! KILL! cast back including Timothy Muskatell as Det. Young and David Z. Stamp in a memorable performance as Det. Fullerand. Both gave unforgettable sleazy performances in EBKK. Joe Pilato (the immortal Capt. Rhodes from George A. Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD) who also appeared in Ferrin's THE GHOULS makes a short cameo. New to Ferrin's films is familiar face Noah Segan (DEADGIRL, CABIN FEVER 2: SPRING FEVER) as Justin, the most-likable of the group of friends and Ezra Buzzington turn as murdering rapist John Hopper is just brutal and disturbing and that's before you see his 15" death rod! Very guttural and grimy. You just see the guy and think "this motherfucker is gonna rape me to death, I just know it!".

The gore-effects in the film are truly stomach churning but surprisingly restrained as we often catch just a quick flash that only serves to make your mind wander and stagnate on some fresh hell you've only glimpsed of. I was feeling queasy a few times as watching someone having the circumference of their mouth bloodily enlarged via a throbbing flesh rocket might do, but it could have of been worse, trust me.

DVD: SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR (2009) comes to DVD from exploitation grinders extraordinaire VICIOUS CIRCLE FILMS. The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Ferrin and his cinematographer make the most of their indie budget with great colors and a snappy stylized look that  pops with 5.1 surround sound that utilizes not ramped-up audio jump scares but a jarring skronk and skree that makes you feel  uneasy, its effective stuff. I reviewed a bare bones screener (dang) but the retail version is jam-packed with a generous amount of bonus content.

Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with director Chad Ferrin and actor Noah Segan
- Audio Commentary with director Chad Ferrin and actor Timothy Muskatell
- 40 Min. Making-of Documentary
- Deleted / Extended Scenes
- Original Poster Artwork
- 5 Min. Black-and-While Film TALDON DRUG TEST SUBJECT #1
- Segan-directed music video "Say It" by Andrew Lynch
- Three SOMEONE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR Trailers
- Previews of director Chad Ferrin's EASTER BUNNY, KILL! KILL!! and THE GHOULS
 VERDICT: This is the 3rd film from Ferrin I've seen and it's an awesome bit o' disturbing. Strange, deranged and fucked-up - let the good time's roll. Is it redeeming, is there a moral? Kids, don't do drugs particularly those you've found in the basement of a psychiatric center. Definitley anxious to check out Ferrin's next project called DANCES WITH WEREWOLVES which i slated for a 2010 release. ***1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

- McBASTARD

DVD REVIEW: Death of a Snowman (1978)

DEATH OF A SNOWMAN (1978)

STUDIO: Synapse Films
REGION: 0
RATED: Unrated
GENRE: Blaxploitation, Crime
RUNNING TIME: 86 Min.
DIRECTOR: Christopher Rowley
Country of Origin: South Africa
CAST: Nigel Davenport (Lt. Ben Deel), Ken Gampu (Steve Chaka), Peter Dyneley (Captain), Madala Mphahlel (Luthor "Snowman" Daniels), Bima Stagg (Johnson)
TAGLINE: Rougher and Tougher Than Anything You Have Seen Before.

PLOT: Master criminals meet violent death in Johannesburg, South Africa, a city wrought with organized crime. Steve Chaka (Ken Gampu), an ambitious news reporter, learns that these deaths are from the hands of an all-black vigilante group known only as “War on Crime”. Teaming up with Lt. Ben Deel (Nigel Davenport, CHARIOTS OF FIRE, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS) of the local police department, Chaka investigates anonymous tips regarding future “hits” and ends up fighting for his life to uncover the truth behind the vigilante killings! 

FILM: DEATH OF A SNOWMAN aka SOUL PATROL aka BLACK TRASH is a  gritty grindhouse crime thriller that takes place in the crime-infested city of Johannesburg, South Africa. It's the late-70's and newspaper reporter Steve Chaka (Ken Gampu) is following anonymous leads given to him by a mysterious figure calling himself 'War On Crime' (Madala Mphahlel) who's wiping out organized-crime under the guise of a vigilante cleaning-up the crime plagued city. What's really going on is that he's a heroin pusher merely eliminating the competition one by one with the help of some white assassins. The film has all the earmarks of a sleazy 70's exploitation film -  worn print, scratchy audio, rough editing, awesomely  crude dialogue and a pretty swanky 70's soundtrack. The film starts off on the good foot as tow truck slams into the car of a crime boss and the gunman emerges from the truck and pumps a few rifle shots into the car. Cue the disco tunes and roll opening credits.

There's a good cast of characters including Chaka the ambitious crime-beat reporter looking to get to the bottom of the War On Crime mystery. Chaka is good friends with Lt. Ben Deel played by Nigel Davenport (CHARIOTS OF FIRE, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS) who works alongside Chaka on the case despite the fact that his Capt. suspects Chaka may in fact be War On Crime. Their friendship is not overly developed but enough so that you understand their mutual trust. The film's writer Bima Stagg gives a decent turn as the shaggy-bearded, laid-back hitman Johnson who espouses some fun second rate Zen-like wisdom like a stoned philosophy major who carries an over-sized hand cannon ("Each man kills the thing he loves, to coin a phrase."). Stagg is also the writer of the Thomas Jayne vehicle STANDER (2003), another South African set film telling of the true story of African police officer turnbed bank robber Andre Stander, another good watch there.

The film is full of sweaty action including Lt. Deel giving chase by car to one of the War On Crime's henchman (who looked like AC/DC's Bon Scott ) who's just blasted a suspect Deel is tailing which leads to a foot chase and  the two lobbying shots back and forth putting a young girl in the crossfire. The car chase and gun play are not particularly well filmed but it's shot fast and loose and makes for an entertaining watch. Eventually Chaka discovers the true nature of War On Crime and that he's being used as a smoke screen in the press which pisses him off to the point that he himself becomes a bad-ass vigilante that culminates in a one-man killing spree that leads to an thrilling final confrontation between Chaka and the War On Crime.  The final few minutes of the film take place in a warehouse and are shamefully under lit which makes the action difficult to follow who's doing what to whom but it's pretty bad-ass regardless. Even Chaka's father takes up an axe and starts swinging away, fun stuff.

DVD: Thanks to Synapse Films we get DEATH OF A SNOWMAN (1978) in an anamorphic widescreen 1.66:1 aspect ratio transfer that looks ...pretty worn and dinged-up to be honest with a mono soundtrack. These grindhouse prints weren't treated with a lot of respect so I guess we're just lucky to have 'em. The only supplemental material is a theatrical trailer. The DVD is Region 0 and playable in all regions. Would have loved to seen some interviews or a featurette on shooting a blaxploitation film in South Africa at the time, but ya get what ya get, right?


VERDICT: DEATH OF A SNOWMAN is action-packed and very entertaining which is what one hopes for with grindhouse cinema.  It probably tries to be a bit too serious for it's own good but still manages satisfy. Sure, it's trashy cinema but it's a cool rough and tumble romp. A recommend from me. *** (3 out of 5 stars)

- McBASTARD