DVD REVIEW: Ozploitation Volume 3 Boxset

OZPLOITATION VOLUME 3 (6-Disc Set)

Umbrella Entertainment / Region 0 PAL

Super-cool Australian label Umbrella Entertainment's third installment of the Ozploitation series is a feast of crazy Australian exploitation. It's chock full of wacky and weird films glorifiying murder, mayhem and sexual depravity as only the Aussie's could muster. The 1970's and 80's were an outstanding period for Australian cinema and seven of the era's finest are well represented here with wonderful presentations and hours of fantastic bonus features. If like me the documentary NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD wetted your appetite for Australian ozploitation these sets are truly essential purchase. I've not seen Vol. 1 and 2 but I know I will be acquiring them shortly because with each successive viewing of Not Quite Hollywood my need to see STONE (1974), TURKEY SHOOT (1982), ROAD GAMES (1981) and RAZORBACK (1984) continues to grow by leaps and bounds. These sets are treasure troves of ozploitation and Umbrella's  repsect for the films and their presentation is quite evident, this is an Australian label that obviously celebrates it's country's colorful cinematic history. Here's what is available on the two previous installments of the series: 

OZPLOITATION VOL. 1 - The Naked Bunyip (1970), Night of Fear/Inn of the Dammed (1972/74), Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), Harlequin (1980), Road Games (1981)
Turkey Shoot (1982)

OZPLOITATION VOL. 2 - Stone (1974), The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975), Fantasm/Fantasm Comes Again (1976), Long Weekend (1978), The Chain Reaction (1980), Razorback (1984) 

Anyway, enough with Vol. 1 and 2 here's what goodness awaits you in the 3rd installment of the series....

BARRY MCKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN (1974)

DURATION: 93 mins

RATING: M
DIRECTOR: CAST: Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Donald Pleasance

PLOT: Aunt Edna Everage (Barry Humphries) is returning from London with her hapless loud-mouthed, sex crazed nephew, Barry McKenzie (Barry Crocker), when she is mistaken for the Queen of England by a couple of Eastern European ratbags. She is kidnapped and taken to Transylvanian in a bid to boost their struggling tourist industry. Excitement brews and Fosters flows as Bazza sets out to rescue the Dame-to-be in distress from the clutches of Erich Count Plasma (Donald Pleasence), the sinister head of the Transylvanian Tourist Commission. Can Bazza pull it off?

FILM: Australia had a nearly non-existent film industry prior to the early-70's and when vulgar comedies like the Barry McKenzie series made a splash the culturally elite of Australia were mortified by the exploitation of the unsophisticated ocker image. Obviously bereft of a funny bone these folks don't understand that you gotta be able to laugh at yourself once in awhile and while the elite balked at the outlandish depictions of the Aussie everyman director Bruce Bedeford's sequel to THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY MCKENZIE (1972) reveled in it. Much as with LES PATTERSON SAVES THE WORLD (1987) this sequel to finds the frosty Fosters swilling Barry 'Bazza' McKenzie in France where his Aussie-centric mannerisms offend people of all nationalities and persuasions. This time out McKenzie (Barry Crocker) and his Aunt Edna (Barry Humphries) are in Paris, France on a stop over from London en route to Australia when Barry runs into his sky-pilot twin brother Reverend Kevin McKenzie at a Catholic seminar entitles 'Christ and the Orgasm". The encounter leads to Barry standing in for his brother in front of a Catholic seminar performing a colorful song describing what the term "ratbag" means, it's a very fun musical number. While there Aunt Edna is confused for the Queen of England by henchmen of the Transyvanian Tourist Commissioner, Count Erich Plasma (Donald Pleasance) who has hatched a misguided scheme to boost tourism in his obscure little province by kidnapping the Queen of England. The henchmen grab the old gal and take her to Transylvania where she seems to think she is merely a VIP guest of the Count's leading to some humorous miscommunication between the two. Can Barry McKenzie save her before Count Plasma realizes his error and drains Edna of her precious bodily fluids?

Bazza as played by Crockers is a naive, misguided oaf of a man completely oblivious to his wrong-thinking ways not unlike Jay from Kevin Smith's Clerks films and it's easy to forgive his terrible ways. The twin brother plot line was quite extraneous and added very little aside from a great musical number early on. It was nice to catch Barry Humphries' Dame Edna as well as several character throughout including Senator Douglas Manton whom introduces the film similarly to the Mortimer Young DVD intro of THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998). Pleasance so good in so many films including RAW MEAT (1972) and HALLOWEEN (1978) is just too eccentrically corny as Count Plasma, the character seems beneath him to be honest.

If you're a fan of irreverent comedies there's a lot to like here, some of the gags run on a bit long as there's only so many "poofter" references you can take in one sitting. The physical comedy is entertaining including a great kung fun fighting sequence and a few gross-out scenes, one having Bazza "cry ruth" which is Aussie speak for throwing up aka "chundering" aka "technicolor yawn" from the height of the Eiffel Tower with a great delayed impact that just plasters the Transylvanian agents. The Aussie wordplay is vibrant and wonderful though most of it would be unintelligible if it weren't not for the Bazzaspeak in-film subtitles. For me the oddest and most wonderful scene involves Bazza try to smuggle dozen of cans of Fosters into the country but is caught by airport security who rip off the bullet-belt of ale and throw it to the ground and machine gun the suds into oblivion and the fending off a the Count via a crucifix of Fosters's cans. Not a great comedy but appropriately silly and fun.

DVD: Barry McKenzie Holds His Own comes to us from Umbrella Entertainment as part of the 6-disc OZPLOITATION VOL. 3 set. Presented in "Chunderama" which translates to a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that does not look pristine by any means but is probably better than the film has ever look in previous editions. It's grainy, soft and non-too vibrant but given the age of the film and it's better than you might think. The audio is mono and no subtitles are offered aside from the in-movie subtitles which help translate some of Bazza's more challenging Bazzaisms.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Audio Commentary by actor Barry Crocker - A decent commentary with plenty of anecdotes from the star of the film.
- Barry Humphries Gives Us the Good Oil (24:07) - An interview featurette (filmed in 2003). Humphries gives us the comic strip origins of the McKenzie character as well as a great story about pitching an idea about a 3rd film wherein McKenzie would travel to America. The film never did happen but he recounts how familiar the premise of Crocodile Dundee seemed just a few years later. Humphries is always a great interview, very unapologetic and wry.
- Barry McKenzie: Ogre or Ocke? (50 mins) - an interesting made for Australian TV documentary with film footage, footage of the film's premier, it's censorship and some great interviews with the always enjoyable Barry Humphries and a film critic whom truly seem to despise the film and Humphries inparticular.
- Behind the Scenes Footage (32:17)- very raw BTS b-roll footage.
- Teaser Trailers (3:46) - three teaser trailers featuring either Edna or Bazza introducing the films to theatre goers.
- TV Spots (2:21)

VERDICT: Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) is a bit of a slog at times but is still an amusing ozploitation comedy. The adventures of the uncouth Australian making a spectacle of himself while abroad is a fun time, if extremely uneven. There's an over abundance on insensitive racial humor, gay-bashing and plenty of crudity for the sake of comedy but these characterizations are stereotypes of the perceptions of Australians at the time; crude, smutty people descended from British penal colonies, more so than any true celebration of racism and bigotry. Barry McKenzie Holds His Own will never be mistaken for great cinema but it will most definitely elicit a few chuckles. Not a whole-hearted recommend but I think it's worth a watch with at least 3-4 beers. 2.5 outta

FELICITY (1980)
DURATION: 90 mins
RATING: R
DIRECTOR: John D. Lamond
CAST: Glory Annen, Chris Milne, Joni Flynn, Jody Hansen
TAGLINE: She ain't Mama's little girl no more!

PLOT: Felicity (the gorgeous Glory Annen) is a sheltered teen who surrenders her blossoming body to a world of bold sexual adventure in this homegrown erotic sin-sation from sexy Ozploitation auteur John D. Lamond. From taboo-breaking pleasures at an all-girl Catholic school to wanton delights in the exotic underground of Hong Kong, come join Felicity as she finally liberates her libido in the Far East with the help of Penthouse pet and Bond girl Joni Flynn (Octopussy).Plot: Felicity (the gorgeous Glory Annen) is a sheltered teen who surrenders her blossoming body to a world of bold sexual adventure in this homegrown erotic sin-sation from sexy Ozploitation auteur John D. Lamond. From taboo-breaking pleasures at an all-girl Catholic school to wanton delights in the exotic underground of Hong Kong, come join Felicity as she finally liberates her libido in the Far East with the help of Penthouse pet and Bond girl Joni Flynn (Octopussy).

FILM: My own experiences with the wonders of softcore erotica began and ended with late-night viewings of the Emmanuel films on Cinemax at far too young of an age. When my folks would retire to their room for the evening I would stealthily make my way to the family room where I would stand directly in front of the TV with the volume turned WAY down, obscuring it from view so as if my parents caught me by surprise I could snap the TV off (with my free hand) without them glimpsing what naughty nocturnal activities might have been transpiring. Our home didn't have the premium cable channels but I was somehow able to hear (not clearly see) the adult programming by holding down several buttons on the cable box in tandem. The image would appear a scrambled blur but occasionally would reveal a nipple or some other delicate part of a woman's anatomy. Pathetic, I know, but that's the unstoppable drive of adolescent sexual curiosity for you. Not coincidentally it was around this time that I discovered the answer to Rusty Griswold's question to his cousin Dale in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), "How do you use a magazine?"....

The softcore-cinema of late-night skinemax came and went during but a brief period of my adolescence. Shortly after I was more enamored with 80's slashers and the supernatural terrors of horror cinema which offered both blood, guts and boobs, the best of both worlds. Sex cinema fell to the wayside for many years until just this past year a blu-ray screener of Radley Metzger's Score (1972) unexpectedly came by the office and what a treat that was. I'd nearly forgotten how fun and sexy these late-70's films were. Erotic cinema like Score offered stylish adult fare that wasn't out and out sleazy like cheaply made pornography. Likewise there's Felicity (1979) directed by Aussie sexploitation pioneer John D. Lamond whom began his film career with a pair of fun shockumentaries The ABC of Sex and Love: Australia Style (1977) and Australia After Dark (1975). His approach to erotica comes from a place of humor, sensuality and sexiness - not just hardcore fucking for the sake of gratification, which has it's place but this is something more all together.

The film tells the tale of the gorgeous young woman named Felicity (Glory Annen) who's coming of age in a private Catholic school where she's been quietly developing a strong sexual curiosity and has on occasion acted on these curiosities with her equally libidinous roommate. When school let's out for Summer break Felicity heads to Hong Kong where she stays with family friends. It's here that she meets a beautiful local girl named Me Ling (Joni Flynn, Octopussy) and begins to explore her overflowing sexual curiosity with numerous partners until she meets a fun photographer named Miles (Christopher Milne, Thirst). The film is equal parts erotic fairytale, Orient travelogue and a sensual coming of age story and while there's no shortage of pants-tightening titillation it is a surprisingly tender film in it's handling of sexuality and the act of sex. Lamond is a stylish director and the film is beautifully composed, particularly the shots of Hong Kong, good stuff indeed. I enjoyed the fairytale nature of the film which is enhanced not only Annen's classic beauty but by the the accompanying running narration and the loads of sex didn't hurt either. That said, this is not merely a male sex fantasy and is very much geared towards portraying Felicity as a sexually empowered young woman.

DVD: Felicity is featured on the 6-disc Ozploitation Vol. 3 set from Aussie DVD label Umbrella Entertainment. The film is presented in a 16:9 enhanced widescreen transfer with 2.0 English language audio. It's a remarkably good looking print with few blemishes to be seen. The audio while not overly impressive is adequate enough to firmly implant the film's saccharine easy listening theme song "Mama's Little Girl No More" into your skull for weeks. From what I can tell the bonus features replicate Umbrella stand-alone disc minus the original theatrical trailer. It should be noted that this DVD can only be operated on machines capable of playing Region 0 PAL format software.

SPECIAL FEATURES
- Audio commentary with Director John D. Lamond and star Glory Annen. A nice commentary as the two reminisce about their experiences on the set of the film, plenty of interesting factoids. It's a lighthearted commentary and both are in good spirits and fondly recall the film.
- Confessions of an R-Rated Movie Maker (8:10) - an interview with Lamond talking about his film and how they're viewed by the Australian elite.
- Stills and Poster Gallery - a series of 37 behind-the-scenes and promotional still.
- Umbrella Entertainment Trailers: a pleasantly lurid collection of softcore and sex comedy trailers: Laura (2:33), Emmanuel in Bangkok (1:33), Pacific Banana (2.55) and Private Lessons (1:78)

VERDICT: John D. Lamond's Felicity (1979) is a fantastic example of the late-70's erotic cinema exemplified by Justin Jaeckin's Emmanuelle (1974). It's light-hearted, witty and nearly every frame is filled with gorgeous scenery and the perky beauty of star Glory Annen. A high recommend for those exploring sensual cinema. So grab your lady, a mid-range bottle of wine and let the erotic good time roll. Classy though it may be if you're just a lonely guy looking for a good wank spankin' good time it's that, too. 4 outta 5

MAD DOG MORGAN (1976)
DURATION: 98 mins
RATING: M
DIRECTOR: Philippe Moira
CAST: Dennis Hopper, Dennis Gulpilil, Frank Thring, Jack Thompson

PLOT: Set in gold rush-era Victoria, and based on a true story, this violent, rollicking portrayal of infamous Irish outlaw Dan Morgan (a bravura performance from an intense Dennis Hopper Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now) is a classic of Australian 70s cinema renaissance. A prospector who turns to crime and opium after failing at gold mining, Dan Morgan spends six brutal years in prison before terrorising country Victoria with a young Aboriginal, David Gulpilil (Walkabout, The Tracker). Having escaped into NSW, the bushranger and his accomplice easily dodge the police and mercilessly intimidate the wealthy land owners; but wracked by madness and a lust to avenge an earlier attack from an irate squatter, the notorious Mad Dog makes a perilous journey back into Victoria. Combining an all-star Australian cast, including Jack Thompson, Bill Hunter and John Hargreaves, with a brilliant Dennis Hopper who called the role one of his great life experiences - director Philippe Mora (Communion) creates one of the great period action dramas.

FILM: I know fuck all about Australia and it's colorful history other than it was claimed by Britain as a colony in 1770 and primarily settled through penal transportation by which a country transports it criminal populace to another continent. In this instance it's England sending it's outlaws to the continent of Australia. I've supplemented my knowledge of Australia with tidbits I've gleaned from MAD MAX (1979) which led me to the assumption that it was a scorching wasteland populated by roving gangs of biker punk and rape-y men in souped-up muscle car death machines. Obviously my perception of Australia is colored more by the high-octane ozploitation films more so than surreal grandeur of Peter Weir's THE PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975). Mad Dog Morgan is a film that's been on my to-see list for quite some time and was recently further fueled by the NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION (2008) documentary, a superbly entertaining doc covering the the madcap ozploitation genre. Having recently acquired OZPLOITATION VOL. 3 6-disc set from Umbrella Entertainment I was pleased to find the film on the set along side another film I've long sought out, the Aussie exploitation shocker PATRICK (1978).

The film tells the true tale of the notorious Irish immigrant Daniel "Mad Dog" Morgan who was a "bushranger" (that's Aussie speak for outlaw) in the mid-1800's whom migrated to Australia during the gold rush. The film is not excessively gruesome by today's standards but one of the earliest scenes features Morgan at an opium den in a Chinese encampment when the place is raided. The attackers kill nearly everyone and burn the village to the ground, the violence is shocking and includes a splattery headshot. Morgan just barely makes it out alive. Shortly thereafter Morgan falls on desperate times and resorts to some clumsy highway robbery ending in him being sentenced to prison where he endures rape and a vicious branding with a hot iron, you know the usual prison stuff. Hopper with a thick Irish brogue pleads for help during the rape and the desperation in his voice made me wince, it's harsh stuff. Released after six years for good behavior he immediately begins his life of crime anew swearing vengeance against the corrupt colonial government. This time he aligns himself with an Aborigine tracker named Billy played by David Gulpilil (Peter Weir's THE LAST WAVE) who saves his life. The relationship between the two is fantastic and their camaraderie is the highlight of the film for me as Billy nurses him to health and helps him build his strength back up. The two outlaws become the torment of the wealthy landowners and are seen as Robin Hood type figures by the locals and quickly draw a bounty on their heads leading to Morgan shooting and killing two officers of the law in pursuit of him.

Morgan's anti-hero status in Australia seems a natural fit for Hopper who at the time was a bit of a loose-nut in Hollywood himself during what is known as his "lost years". Crazy though Morgan may be Hopper portrays the Irishman as fair and just in his own way , sympathetic and haunted by personal demons and insanity. This may be my favorite performance from Hopper, it's right up there with Frank Booth from BLUE VELVET (1986). The film is definitely pushing the sympathetic anti-hero status of the outlaw. The narrative style is a fragmentary assembly of highlights from Morgan's life, it doesn't flow well to be honest, but the episodic nature of the film paints an overall portrait that works and the ending of the film packs a powerful wallop as Morgan is gunned down thus cementing his legendary folkloric status. One of the last lines of the film comes from Superintendent Cobahn played by the venerable Frank Thring (MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME) who says to the mortician as Morgan lays there on a slab "By all means, off with his head... and don't forget the scrotum" which he has claimed for his own tobacco pouch. Thring is perfectly cast as the sleazy as the epitome of British colonial rule.

The film is visually striking and Australia's natural beauty is on full display throughout. Great locations and set-pieces keep you in the period from start to finish. Mora's documentarian background helps maintain a stark realism to the film with the exception of a surreal nightmare sequence that's brief but fantastic. The film is just immensely watchable and deserves a wider audience. It shares a lot in common with American western films; the anti-hero aspect, the rugged setting, indigenous people and the gold rush. I think Mora really gives us a what if Peckinpah made an Australian western here and Hopper's performance is outstanding.

DVD: Mad Dog Morgan is presented in a 16:9 2.35:1 aspect ratio with 2.0 Dolby Digital audio. The transfer comes from a restored print from National Film and Sound Archive and Mike Molloy's cinematography looks great, the black levels are nice and deep and the Australian panoramas are exquisite. The stereo audio is adequate and the filmscore and dialogue were crisp and clear. To my knowledge the only Region 1 edition was a Troma release that was cropped and cut so I'm pleased to have this Region 0 PAL Director's Cut from Umbrella Entertainment. Aside from a great audio and visual presentation this edition is loaded with bonus content and is a true treasure for fans of Hopper, Mora or ozploitation in general, great stuff. .

SPECIAL FEATURES
- To Shoot a Mad Dog: Making of Mad Dog Morgan documentary (23:37) - a behind-the-scenes look at the film narrated by Mora with on-set interviews with Hopper and some great footage of legendary Aussie stuntman Grant Page shooting the "man-on-fire" stunt that appears in a hallucinatory dream sequence in the film. There are several times during the featurette that you bare witness to Hopper's eccentric behavior.
- Dennis Hopper interviewed by Philippe Mora (27:48) - a 2008 sit down interview with Hopper and Mora who seem to not have seen each other since the filming. It's great to see the late hopper looking back at the film as the two reminisce.
- Audio Commentary by Director Philippe Mora (98:44) - a great commentary from Mora who delivers a ton of colorful anecdotes throughout plus his experiences working with notoriously difficult Dennis Hopper
- Radio Interview from 1976. Philippe Mora talks about Mad Dog Morgan (14:23)
- Mad Dog Morgan script PDF
- Mad Dog Morgan programme - PDF
- Stills Gallery (63 images)
- Mad Dog Morgan Film Excerpts x 16 (7:35)
- Umbrella Entertainment Trailers: Picnic at Hanging Rock (4:42), The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (2:25). Robbery Under Arms (1:32) and Jessica (2:38)

VERDICT: Mad Dog Morgan is a stirring watch. Hopper's performance is a touching, often brutal, portrait of a disturbed man pushed to his limits and it's a gritty piece of Australian western cinema. On top of that the the film is ideally presented with great picture quality and a wealth of bonus content. Highly recommended. 4 outta 5

PATRICK (1978)
DURATION: 108 Min.
RATING: M
DIRECTOR: Richard Franklin
CAST: Susan Penhaligan, Robert Helpmann
TAGLINE: He's In a Coma... Yet He Can Kill

PLOT: In room 15 of the mysterious Roget clinic lies a young comatose murderer named PATRICK. His doctor thinks he's nothing more than 170 pounds of limp meat hanging off a comatose brain, but a young nurse, Kathy (Susan Penhaligon from THE UNCANNY), knows very differently. Patrick has burgeoning psychic powers and a crush on Kathy - and his affection is about to turn into a deadly and bloody obsession!

FILM: PATRICK (1978) comes to us by way of Aussie director Richard Franklin whom is noted for several films; the slasher ROAD GAMES (1981) starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Stacey Keach, one of the more Hitchcockian Psycho sequels PSYCHO II (1983) and a film near and dear to my heart - CLOAK AND DAGGER (1984) starring Dabney Coleman which I caught a screening of at the Willard Psychiatric Center in Willard NY when I was 13 years of age. Before your imagination runs wild dear reader you should know that I wasn't committed to the institution but my father worked there and was privy to the fact that the institution screened 35mm prints of films for the patients once a month in a great old auditorium and somehow a few of us neighborhood kids were allowed inside to watch while seated quite literally next to the clinically insane. I saw a ton of great stuff there and a lot of it I wouldn't consider appropriate for the venue but whatever. On yet another aside the book 'The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic' is a great read and tells the haunting stories of several patients whom lived and died at the Willard Psychiatric Center in Willard, New York. It's a poignant and slightly disturbing read about the perceptions and treatment of those who may or may not have been afflicted with mental illness. On a lighter note, the show Ghost Hunters also recorded an episode at the institution. Here's are a smattering of films I recall watching at the venue: GREYSTOKE THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (1984), FOUL PLAY (1978), SPIES LIKE US (1985), GANDHI (1982), 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), GOONIES (1985), KING KONG LIVES (1986) and many others I seem to have forgotten. It's a matter of some debate but I swear I saw ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST (1975) there but that can't be, can it? I would love to find out who programmed that theatre. What a weird venue for film but I can trace my love for cinema to that nutty place during a special time in my life.

Well, the long and short of it is that it's appropriate that I discovered the films of Richard Franklin through a viewing of CLOAK AND DAGGER (1984) at a psychiatric center when the film PATRICK (1978) takes place at the Roget Clinic which a bit of convalescent nut house. At the start of the film Patrick (Robert Thompson) is forced to endure the sounds of his mother and her lover as they have a bit of nasty fun in the tub. This is just too much for the disturbed young man to bare and he interrupts their frolicking by tossing a space heater into the tub which lands squarely on his mother's back searing her flesh like a steak on the grill, sizzle sizzle. While gruesome this was not the intended outcome. When her lover tosses the heater out of the tub Patrick throws it in again electrocuting both with nary any sign of emotion on his face. Now it's three years later Patrick is at the Roget Clinic in a vegetative state. It's not quite clear why but perhaps psychological trauma from the event. The clinic is staffed by the cantankerous physician Dr. Roget (Robert Helpmann) and the creepy Matron Cassiday (Julia Blake) who have just hired a new nurse named Kathy Jacqaurd (Susan Penhaligon) who's new in town and recently separated from her husband Ed (Rod Mullinar). She's been assigned to room 15 where the coma stricken Patrick is sustained by life support. Right away she is struck by the fact that Patrick's eyes are wide open, they stare intensely off into the distance and it's pretty unnerving stuff. He also reflexively spits on occasion (which I think Tarantino homages in KILL BILL VOL. 1. As she goes about her routine bathing and caring for him she comes to realize that he is somehow aware and quickly things get weird from there beginning with him being able to pass her alarming notes through the typewriter. Not only has Patrick developed a crush on the attentive nurse but when the hunky Dr. Wright (Bruce Berry) hits on her at a party he is nearly drowned by an invisible force, Patrick is using newly developed psychokinetic powers to ward off any would be suitors. Angered by her interactions with other men Patrick trashes her small apartment which she blames on her estranged husband. Eventually Kathy comes to realize that Patrick is somehow manipulating her and influencing those she cares for building to a final shocking psychokinesis fueled crescendo.

One of PATRICK's best qualities is the tense and atmospheric pace but I fear it may be too slow for younger or impatient audiences. The dialogue is well-written, the acting is great and there's no denying that director Richard Franklin is a true Hitchcock devotee with some great homages throughout. Even the late composer Brain May's score recalls Bernard Herman's iconic themes. The film's special effects are pretty minimal to be sure, there are only 3 moments of minimal grue throughout the film. It is a credit to the direction of Richard Franklin that PATRICK is an effective a shocker given the limiting nature of the film's comatose protagonist.

DVD: The film is presented in a 16x9 enhanced 1.85:1 aspect ratio transfer with English 2.0 Mono audio. No subtitle options are provided. There's a good amount of grain present stemming from inferior film stock from what I've read but not distractingly so. The image is soft and lacks detail but looks quite good nonetheless. A very fine disc indeed, and this is just one of 6 films on the OZploitation Vol. 3 set. Things I would have liked to seen on this disc are the making of featurette from the Patrick: Ultimate OZploitation Edition and I think the filmscore used in the Italian market by frequent Dario Argento collaborators Goblin would have made a fantastic alternate audio option. Legend tells of the original cut of the film being a whopping 140 minutes. Perhaps someday someone will find the missing 32 minutes of film and a truly special edition will emerge. That would truly be the METROPOLIS of OZploitation films.

SPECIAL FEATURES
- A Coffee Break with Antony I. Ginnane (15:55) - a 2008 interview with producer Antony L. Ginnane who relates several colorful recollections of the film and Franklin.
- Archival on-set interview with Richard Franklin (7:27)
- Audio commentary with Director Richard Franklin - an interesting anecdotal commentary with Frankin filled with references to Hitchcock
- Excerpt from dubbed US version (3:29)
- The Man Who Wasn't There: Story outline for the unproduced PATRICK sequel (PDF)
- Original Australian Trailer (2:57)
- US trailer (1:38)
- Stills and poster gallery
- Antony I. Ginnane Trailer Reel: Snapshot (2:11) 16:9, Thirst (1:37), Harlequin (2:43) 16:9, The Survivor (2:50) , Turkey Shoot (2:40) 16:9, The Time Guardian (1:29)
- More Umbrella Ozploitation Trailers: Road Games (2:12) 16x9, Long Weekend (2:02) 16:9, Razorback (2:21) 16:9, The Chain Reaction 3:23) 16:9

VERDICT: Richard Franklin's PATRICK (1978) is a high recommend from me. This Aussie exploitation gem is deliberately paced, well-acted and truly wonderful. The concept sounds limiting but trust me on this it's a great watch. While this 6-disc set is an Australian exclusive it should be noted that the discs are region free and playable worldwide, so dig in!
3.5 outta 5

AUSTRALIA AFTER DARK (1975)

DURATION:  83 mins

RATING: R

DIRECTOR: John D. Lamond

TAGLINE: Behind the bright lights and the strip clubs is a very different Australia!


PLOT: At Last! The Australia you've always wanted to see - but until now have never DARED! Umbrella Entertainment invites you to taste a cocktail of erotic and exotic Aussie happenings in this kinky collection of 37 unusual and titillating stories. You ll encounter sexy witchcraft, black magic, body painting, sadistic sex rites, mud freaking and famed bondage queen Madam Lash. It's all here... the beautiful, the unusual, the gorgeous, the super and the supernatural. Australia in the raw!


FILM: This behind the scenes documentary of the Sydney Australia night life is quite sensational and I truly don't believe half of it is true but what a place if it's true, sign me up and I'll be there momentarily. Staged or otherwise we are treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the tawdry world of orgies, sexual deviation of every sort and to top it off we have some satanic cult rituals thrown in. This has a little bit of everything and is a breezy watch. If films like the Barry McKenzie mortifies the culturally elite of Australia with it beer swilling; portrayal of the ocke bloke then this semi-lurid depiction of Sydney nightlife after hours must have been quite a hair raising ordeal.

DVD: The film is presented in non-anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo soundtrack. The transfer is pretty grainy and marked with print damage but a sordid film like this doesn't falter any for it.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
-   Confessions of a R Rated Movie Maker (8:09) - an interview with Lamond talking about his film and how they're viewed by the Australian elite. The same featurette is also featured on the Felicity disc in this set.
-  Stills and Poster Gallery
- Umbrella Entertainment Trailers: Felicity (3:36), Pacific Banana (2:49), Fantasm (2:26), The True Story of Eskimo Nell (3:02)

VERDICT:  If my 13 year old self had seen this it would've made a lasting impression for better or worse. Now it's not so shocking but it is most definitely very entertaining. I love these 1970's era documentary style peeks at the forbidden taboos of the era, the styles and the perceptions of sex. A fun watch.  3 outta 5

ABC OF LOVE AND SEX - AUSTRALIA STYLE! (1977)

DURATION:83 mins
RATING: R
DIRECTOR: John D. Lamond

PLOT: A witty look between the sheets at modern sex and love - 1978 style! Take a sin-sational journey through the sexual alphabet, penetrating the A to Z of Oz naughtiness - including bondage, discipline, lesbian love making, orgasms, orgies, spanking and countless other erotic delights! Packed full of fun facts, helpful hints and an endless parade of cheeky Aussie spunks in the buff. THE ABC OF LOVE AND SEX - AUSTRALIA STYLE is not only the ultimate guide to getting it up down under - it's also the holy grail of true-blue retro skinema!

FILM: The ABC of Love and Sex - Australia Style! is a documentary style sexual education film of sorts that uses the letters of the alphabet to introduce sexual topics from A to Z in an "O" is for orgasm kind of way. It's bookended by some fun claymation of a sex ed teacher and his class.  This  comes to us from the mind of Australian soft-core pioneer John D. Lamond who also brought us the classic erotic fairytale  FELICITY. The film throws out some generic factoids about each subject but the film really just serves as a titillating softcore film with a novel premise and humorous approach. It's fun and guilt-free watch, the perversions and taboos are here for you to watch in all their erotic and campy glory but it's not raunchy, it promotes sex and love in the best possible way. Also fun are all the 1970's styles  on display as well as some great 70's era bush, you know what I mean. I didn't see one landing-strip throughout the entire film, this was the real deal.

DVD: The film is presented in 16:9 enhanced 1.851 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio. It looks fairly good, sure it's a soft image and there's some print damage throughout with a fair amount of grain but it gives the film a bit of a raunchy grindhouse, perfectly appropriate for the film in my opinion.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Stills and Poster Gallery- a collection of 93 posters and behind-the-scenes pics
- Theatrical Trailer (2:43)

VERDICT: The films of Australian sexploitation pioneer John D. Lamond are fun and kinky tales of erotic debauchery that'll warm you up on a chilly night. If softcore titillation is what you desire this is a definite good time.  3 outta 5

LES PATTERSON SAVES THE WORLD (1987)
DURATION: 91 mins
RATING: M
DIRECTOR: George Miller
CAST: Barry Humphries, Graham Kennedy, Pamela Stephenson, Joan Rivers

PLOT: The one-time Australian Minster for the Yarts, Sir Leslie Colin Patterson KBE (Barry Humphries), is a lecherous, drunken, chain-smoking slob and vaunted cultural attache. Now, Sir Les has received a promotion, as Australia's ambassador to the United Nations, and is sent to an oil-rich Gulf state to try to make peace after a UN blunder. Embracing his diplomatic duties with devil-may-care aplomb, Les escapes a firing squad before discovering a diabolical plan to hold the world to biological ransom. Meanwhile, undercover CIA agent Dame Edna Everage arrives on a "Possums For Peace' tour and sets out with the Aussie ambassador extraordinaire to save the world!

FILM: Les Patterson Saves the World (1987) is a farcical political/spy satire featuring Australian funnyman Barry Humphries as the drunken and lecherous Sir Leslie Patterson, Australia’s Ambassador to the United Nations. The story begins as Les is addressing the U.N. and accidentally sets fire to the leader of Middle Eastern country of AbuNeveah when his alcohol-fueled flatulence is inadvertently ignited by a cigar - so yeah, that's what your in for here folks, don't expect high art just a few good belly laughs and a snicker or two here and again. Seen as an embarrassment to his county Sir Les is sent to AbuNeveah by the Aussie Prime Minister to smooth things over with the vengeful dictator fully realizing Sir Les will most probably be executed in short order upon stepping foot in the country. Les arrives just as a military coup puts Colonel Richard Godowni (Thaao Penghlis) into power who along with French scientist named Dr. Herpes are plotting to spread a viral plague called H.E.L.P. throughout the Western world through the distribution of infected toilet seats. H.E.L.P. is a nasty bit of biological warfare which inflicts it's victim with near instantaneous green puss-filled sores leading to a painful and oozing demise. Les quite obliviously to this fact stumbles upon the plot and with the assistance of the pink-haired undercover C.I.A. super-spy Dame Edna Everage (also played by Humphries) set out to thwart the diabolical plan. The Russians also figure into the equation as this is an 80's political comedy - gotta have some interference from the Soviet Union, right? And the icing on the cake in a brief yet over-the-top performance from comedian Joan Rivers as the American President. Truly some wacky goings-on here. The story arc of the film doesn't hold together but the film still manages to come off as an absurd 80's comedy packed with an unending parade of bawdy humor and sexual innuendo, completely in bad taste and good silly fun if a bit uneven. Humphries as the witty and crass Australian politico is a sight to behold. Mixed-in with the madcap shenanigans are some great gross-out gags involving the H.E.L.P. virus which are pretty decent for a mid-80's comedy.

DVD: Les Patterson Saves the World (1987) comes to us in a 16:9 enhanced original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio and armed with a generous amount of supplemental material. The disc appears to mirror the bonus features from Umbrella Entertainment's single disc edition.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Reflections on My Attempt to Save the World - Interview with Barry Humphries (23:24) - a lengthy and informative interview with Humphries who seems a bit embarrassed by the film. He attempts to dissuade us that the virus in the film is meant in anyway to the allude to AIDS epidemics that was ravaging Australia at the time but it's a weak argument.
- Radio Interview with Barry Humphries with George Moore
- Radio Advertisements
- Alternate Ending (1:51)
- Stills Gallery (52 Images)
- PDF of Feature Film Script
- Umbrella Entertainment Trailer: Barry McKenzie Hold His Own 16:9 (1:17), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie 16:9 (2:19), The Naked Bunyip 16:9 (1:10), The Great MacCarthy 16:9 (3:40)

VERDICT: Les Patterson Saves the World (1987) is an irreverent 80's comedy that will most definitely appeal to fans of AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (1997) which would seem to owe a debt of gratitude towards the Aussie comedy by my reckoning. Not a great film by any means but definitely a good time in the tradition of other nutty yet imperfect 80's comedy gems like SPIES LIKE US (1985) and WEIRD SCIENCE (1985). Politically incorrect comedies like this just aren't being made today so be glad be have boozy bloke Sir Leslie Patterson to see us through these PC times - NO WORRIES! 
3.5 outta 5

Not a stinker in the bunch. BUY! BUY! BUY!

BLU-RAY REVIEW: Alien 2 On Earth (1980)

ALIEN 2 ON EARTH (1980) Blu-ray

Release Date: March 22nd 2011

Label: Midnight Legacy
Region Code: All Region
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 84 Mins
Director: Ciro Ippolito
Cast: Belinda Mayne, Mark Bodin, Roberto Barrese, Benny Aldrich, Michele Soavi

Plot: A group of cave explorers are confronted in an underground cavern by a mysterious living rock. Little do they know that it bears home to deadly, flesh-eating creatures, intent on wiping out the entire human population. Can they survive and ultimately prevent Earth's total annihilation?

Film: The upstart niche film label Midnight Legacy have chosen director Ciro Ippolito's fairly obscure ALIEN 2 ON EARTH (1980) as their initial Blu-ray/DVD release. There's not too many niche labels emerging in today's trying marketplace. In fact the only one comes immediately to mind, Intervision Picture Corp. who've  just recently unleashed a salvo of Jess Franco titles. Alien 2 On Earth is one of those crazy unauthorized pseudo-sequels that came out of Italy in the 1970's and 1980's. Not all were atrocious, and many were quite good such as Lucio Fulci's ZOMBI 2 (1979) which was marketed as a sequel to George A. Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978). It features a zombie battling a shark, 'nuff said. Like many Italian films of the era Alien 2 on Earth is nearly incomprehensible at times, shrouded by a thick fog of surreality and has little to do with the film it lifts from, Ridley Scott's ALIEN (1979). Looking back it's no wonder there was such a glut of ALIEN knock-offs in the 80's as the studio delayed a sequel to Ridley Scott's horror-stunner until 1986. The world wanted more and Italy was only too happy to oblige legions of ravenous fans.

This slab of Italian b-movie madness begins as a manned space capsule is set to splash down off the coast of California. The Navy have assembled a recovery team and we are treated to a confusing montage of grainy 8mm stock footage of space capsules and Navy fleet maneuvers - it's nearly unwatchable but it does set-up that the spacecraft was mysteriously found to be empty upon splashdown. We are then introduced to Thelma (Belinda Mayne, of KRULL) the leader of a team of spelunking speleologists and her boyfriend Roy (Mark Bodin of ANTHROPOPHAGUS) as she make an appearance on a television program to comment on the returning space mission. What qualifies her for such commentary eludes me, but I'll allow it.  While on air Thelma suffers a psychic breakdown of sorts which renders her unable to carry-on the interview. It's an odd occurrence and not explained to my satisfaction but throw reason to the wind for it will not be needed here or elsewhere in this film. Next thing we know Thelma and her team are gearing-up for a weekend of cave exploration when Burt (played by actor turned director Michelle Soavi, CEMETERY MAN) discovers a peculiar blue rock and promptly tosses it in his backpack for examination later. Turns out this is no rock at all but the egg of a parasitic alien organism that was somehow scattered throughout the coastal during the arrival of the unmanned space capsule. Again, no explanation, just go with it. Once below ground things are what some might generously call deliberately paced, not that the first 20 minutes were screaming with action though. Adding to the sleepy time hypnotic pace of the film is an alternately sleepy and creepy score from Guido and Maurizo De Angelis. Mercifully at about the forty-five minute mark the blue meteorite/alien egg shows signs of life. It begins to pulsate and hatches a beasty that looks like a bloody pile of loose meat. Entering through the mouth the parasite incubates and then explodes not from the chest, but from the victims head, completely decimating the face in a spew of bloody viscera. The facial eruptions are by the far the most enjoyable parts of the film and in true Fulci-gore style there are several instances of grotesque eyeball mutilation. Once the creature makes itself known the spelunkers are forced deeper into the cave looking for an alternate exit.

 While most of the remaining team have their faces popped like blood filled zits Thelma and Roy escape the cave and the finale of the film plays out in a bowling alley, WTF right? There they are confronted by the barely-seen and apparently much larger creature.   Unfortunately the films seemingly meager budget seems to have been spent on the face decimating eruptions and what we get here are rather disappointing POV shots from inside the creatures mouth, again looking like a pile of bloody shredded meat. Thelma again escapes the creature and runs through the now abandoned streets of San Diego implying an apocalyptic ending wherein that the creatures have taken over the city, perhaps even the world. .

DVD: Midnight Legacy's inaugural release of Alien 2 On Earth is surely the definitive version of film, transferred from the original 35mm negative, its uncut and  runs longer than any other version available. This perfectly compliments Midnight Legacy's Mission Statement of releasing films uncut in their original aspect ratios/audio in spine-numbered, limited edition collectible pressings. The film is presented in a 16:9 enhanced 1.85:1 aspect ratio in wonderful 1080p and looks surprising good, it's crisp, clear and offers a good amount of fine detail. The colors are vibrant and the natural grain is not overwhelming. The depth of the black levels are quite good, inky and deep. The image is a bit soft but after watching a unrestored trailer from the film's Dutch VHS release it's quite clear how stunning the blu-ray truly is, great job on Midnight Legacy's part for the brilliant transfer. I would have to assume this is far superior to even the initial theatrical release of the film. Audio options consist solely of a DTS-MA 2.0 stereo mix, there are some occasional hiss and pops but nothing overly distracting. Far more concerning is the fact that the film was entirely dubbed in post-production as most Italian films of era were but this is no fault of Midnight Legacy. No subtitle options are included.  The special features are kept to a minimum with only the aforementioned Dutch trailer and a 11 minute special effects outtake reel, not outstanding but given the obscure nature of the film there's probably not much available. I would've loved subtitles and a Ippolito commentary or a brief featurette speaking to the many ALIEN knock-offs of the era but the fine transfer is appreciated.

Special Features:
- Dutch VHS Trailer (3:10)
- Special Effects Outtakes (11:27) [1080p]

Verdict: ALIEN 2 ON EARTH is an occasionally interesting spaghetti exploitation flick and if you're a connoisseur of ALIEN knock-offs there's definitely something to enjoy here if only a few choice moments of gore. While it's not essential cinema it is definitely an obscure curiosity and an interesting first-step for this young company.  If they're are able to sustain the high standards set forth here and keep the obscure treasures coming they could easily  join the ranks of Synapse, Severin and Code Red as a force to be reckoned with in the niche home entertainment market. 3 outta 5

www.Midnight-Legacy.com/

DVD Review: Interview with a Serial Killer (1993)

INTERVIEW WITH A SERIAL KILLER (1993) DVD

Label: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Director: Chris Jones
Cast: Peter Firth, Harriet Robinson, Don Henderson


Plot: When Ellen Carter a well-known crime novelist advertised a room for rent, she was looking for a female tenant. But when a polite, male dentist named Leslie Steckler turned up on her doorstep, she decided to make an exception. Now Carter has reason to believe that Steckler is the White Angel, a serial killer who has brutally murdered more than a dozen blonde, white-clad women. When Steckler discovers that Carter also has a murderous past, he uses his findings as leverage to convince her to write his biography. But Carter must make a choice—finish the story or kill off its main character…before he kills her.


Film: Interview with a Serial Killer (1993) also known as WHITE ANGEL is decent but modestly budgeted thriller that is greatly enhanced by the performances of it's two main protagonists; Ellen (Harriet Robinson) and Leslie (Peter Firth, Lifeforce). Set in the suburbs of London this thriller has crime novelist Ellen Carter taking on a new tenant in her flat. The new guy Leslie is a dentist and it's always great to have someone in the medical profession close by but Leslie also turns out to be a cross-dressing, serial killer who's known in the press an the White Angel killer. Leslie being a killer himself strongly suspects that Leslie may have murdered her abusive husband who's gone missing. After discovering Ellen's dark secret the two reach a tenuous agreement through blackmail by which Ellen is coerced into penning the killers memoirs,  but when Ellen suspects that Leslie may have offed her former flatmate she begins a campaign to rid herself of him, but things don't quite go according to plan. There are some nice story strands as Ellen is dogged by a  homicide investigator who's always suspected she offed her missing husband and then there's a hammer recovered at the latest White Angel murder scene which may have her fingerprints on it which leads to a deliciously twisted finale. The film is a bit claustrophobic as 90% of the film takes place in Ellen's home but the acting and some nice shots of the killer filming the murders prove intriguing.


DVD: The film is presented in 1.33:1 fullframe aspect ratio despite the being advertised as widescreen with a 2.0 stereo soundtrack. No subtitles or bonus features are included.


Verdict: A tense and well-acted thriller. I can't recommend you run out an buy it but if you run across it I think you'll be intrigued. A recommend for those who enjoy a good British psychological thriller and won't mind it's made-for-television aesthetic.
2.5 outta 5

DVD Review: 8213 Gacy House (2010)

8213: GACY HOUSE (2010) DVD

Label: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Genre: Paranormal Thriller

Director: Anthony Fankhauser
Cast: Jim Lewis, Mathew Temple, Michael Gaglio, Brett Newton

Plot: Serial killer John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 young men between 1972 and 1978 in suburban Chicago. Twenty-six bodies were found in a crawl space beneath his house and three others were buried in the backyard. Following the murders, Gacy's home was demolished and another was built in its place. Now, a team of paranormal investigators is spending the night at the sight of Gacy's former home in an attempt to summon his spirit. 8213: Gacy House reveals the disturbing footage from their deadly investigation.

Film: 8213: Gacy House (2010) is a straight-to-DVD film that's a Paranormal Activity cash-in through and through and this is after The Asylum all ready plundered that film with Paranormal Activity (2009). A disclaimer at the beginning of the film informs what we are about to witness is found-footage recovered at the former site of the John Wayne Gacy, Jr. home. As the footage rolls we see a group of paranormal researchers setting up surveillance cameras and exploring the house for signs or John Wayne Gacy Jr. 's ghost. We get the usual array of cheap haunted house hokum; mysterious sounds, picture frames falling, doors shutting on their own, the usual stuff. This is all not very exciting at all but the film is not without it's smirk-inducing moments. The first such nugget of enjoyment is when one of the paranormal investigators offers up an article of her own child's clothing to Gacy if he will make an appearance - that's just wrong on so many levels. Then we have researchers calling out to Gacy in the basement, inquiring if there is where he sodomized all those boys, kinda hard not to laugh at that. Fun though that may be an exciting film it does not make. After an initially painfully slow hour long build-up things pick-up when Gacy's ghost does actually appear in full clown make-up. Shortly afterwards the shit hits the fan and we see a female member of the crew sexually assaulted, scratched and her shirt is torn open revealing her breast. I was thinking that would be the highlight of the film then we get a true coup de grace when a camera man is levitated and pantsed which one can only assume means Gacy's spirit is about to defile the man's anus most painfully.

DVD: The 8213: Gacy House comes to us in a 16x9 enhanced 1.78: aspect ratio with 2.0 stereo audio. Given the found footage nature of the film this is a decent presentation and looks suitably amateurish with a bit of a Ghost Hunters type vibe about it.

Verdict: Someone on twitter once stated that The Asylum's films are one part piggy backer and one part Roger Corman - that's a damn fair assessment in my limited experience with Asylum though it may be a bit of a disservice to Roger Corman, at least the Corman of the 70's and 80's anyway. Not a good film, and probably one of the worst found footage films I've seen but hilarious at times, a great drunken party film. 1.5 outta 5

DVD REVIEW: Island of Death (1976)

ISLAND OF DEATH (1976) DVD

Release Date: March 21st 2011

Label: Arrow Video
Region: Region 0 PAL
Duration: 101 Min.
Rating: 18 Certificate
Director: Nico Mastorakis
Cast: Bob Behling, Jane Ryall, Jessica Dublin, Gerard Gonalons


Plot: Greece is transformed into a bloodbath of sex, death and sadism when an English couple arrives for a perverse rampage of lust and murder through the sleepy streets of a quiet island. No taboo is left unbroken as the feral pair screw and slice through the local population and their livestock, driven by a combination of libido and twisted morality to slay those they see as unfit to exist. Now, see Nico Mastorakis’ notorious and long censored video nasty in all its uncut and full strength glory.

Film: Every so often I'll watch a film that really puts my wife to the test. The test being if she made a wise decision marrying me. To be fair I'm not quite sure that she passed the test, and after 13 years together the jury may still out on that one. There must be doubt when she walks into a room and on screen she witness's a man fuck a goat and then slit it's throat. I can see why she questions herself from time to time. It's probably creepy that she's mortified by what's transpiring on screen and I'm off to the side smirking from ear to ear and occasionally eliciting an inappropriate giggle. Well, that's how my wife was introduced to the Greek Video Nasty Island of Death (1977)

Christopher (Bob Belling) and Celia (Jane Ryall) are a young English couple whom arrive on the small Greek island of Mykonos for a bit of relaxation and fun, it's a lovely place. The island is gorgeous, the villas are clean with bright white painted walls, the locals are a colorful sort and the weather is fantastic. In such a beautiful place the two do what any young couple would, cram into a phone booth for a quickie and simultaneously call his mother in the midst of their fornicating and taunt her with their naughty deeds. Bizarre stuff, right away I knew this was going to be the blackest of comedies. At this point we don't really know much about this twisted couple but were pretty sure that both are probably right fucked in the head and the real fun hasn't even begun yet.

Soon begins a deadly routine of befriending an islander, seducing them, photographing the dirty deed and then murdering the victims is a myriad of gruesome ways. This duo are demented avenging angels who exact punishment on those they deem sinners with odd proclivities which is just odd cuz these two are out and out batshit insane and disgustingly pervereted. There's a reveal at the end that's the cherry on top of this grotesque exploitation sundae. Director Mastorakis freely admits he set out to make a deliberate exploitation film aimed at shocking audiences after seeing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He set pencil to paper and simply made a checklist of outrageous sexual perversions and disgusting murders, the sleazier the better... Incest✓ Bestiality✓Sodomy✓ Golden Showers✓A lynching from a plane✓ Crucifixtion✓ Drowning in lye✓ Death by sword✓ Victimization of minorities✓ Christian hypocrisy✓ Death by speargun✓ Rape✓ and loads more. Pure exploitation, little plot, sleazy sex and a decent bodycount.

Christopher and Celia are not very likable characters, definitely not people you can get behind unless you're a psychopath. This is not about sympathetic figures caught in an extreme situation forced to do the unthinkable, this is a film that simply revels in seeing bad people act out terrible deeds upon largely undeserving victims. As sleazy as the film is it's very watchable and rather well photographed by Mastrorakis himself. Other quirky elements adding to the film's entertainment value is an odd folksy soundtrack not unlike The Last House on the Left (1972)   and a weird narration that doesn't so much endear you to the characters as it does ad an element of black humor, the film is quite funny despite what my wife thought. The acting is spotty at times but  I would hold it up against other exploitation classics like I Spit On Your Grave (1978) and The Last House on the Left if not better. While Island of Death will never be mistaken for great cinema I think it's a pretty fantastic watch for those predisposed to raunchy exploitation cinema. On a sad note according to Mastorakis star Bob Behling, who also appeared in Cujo (1983) and Land of the Minotaur (1976), committed suicide in a rather odd way. He apparently struck a tube connected to a propane gas take down his throat and opened the valve.

DVD: Arrow Video have give Island of Death a brand new transfer, completely uncut for the first time. How this made it past the notoriously strict BBFC censors uncut I'll never know, that's just crazy. The film is presented in it's original 1.33:1 fullframe aspect ratio the transfer looks surprisingly good for it's age, great color and clarity with only few noticeable instances of print damage, a very fine restoration indeed. The mono audio fares well enough that the film's quirky folk songs will be stuck in your head for a few days. No subtitle options are provided.  On top of a great transfer Arrow have given the film a great assortment of bonus material including a brand-new commentary with the director, featurettes, interviews and a trailer.


Special Features
- Brand new audio commentary with director Nico Mastorakis and author and Calum Waddell Mastorakis and Waddell discuss the film at length. The two have a jovial  rapport that makes for a spirited and entertaining listen. Mastorakis talks about the films beginnings, it's casting and the films reputation as a Video Nasty. He also discusses the death by suicide of star Bob Behling, it's a pretty bizarre and successful suicide.
- Q&A with director Nico Mastorakis (16:55)
- Interview with Nico Mastorakis (25:00) - an entertaining interview with the director who speaks of the film with great interest and humor.
- Original trailer (2:56) - a trailer under the film's alternate title Cruel Destination.

- The Music of Island of Death (6:43) - a short featurette featuring songs from the movie set to stills and scenes from the film.
- 2010 re-recording of “Destination Understanding” from “Island of Death” (20:39)

An interesting featurette featuring five bands interpretations of the films main title "Destination Understanding", the bands featured are Kylie Minoise, Acid Fascists, Sea Bass Kid, Southern Tenant Folk and The Fnords. A good mix of indie, noise, punk and bluegrass.

My check disc from Arrow Video featured all of the disc information but none of the following packaging extras. Should you be so lucky to purchase this here's what you get.

- Double-sided fold-out poster

- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by critic David Hayles

Verdict: Island of Death is fantastically sleazy by design and lives up to it's reputation as a vile and demented Video Nasty. It does what few other films have, it actually shocked me a bit and in that respect I was endlessly entertained by the sickening parade of repulsive acts. A film truly deserving of it debaucherous reputation loaded with sex, violence and devilish black humor. It's sleazy, trashy, and irredeemable - it's Island of Death and its totally awesome. If you love exploitation cinema there's no way you're not going to enjoy this, I could watch it again and again which is something I can't say about other exploitation flicks. 4 outta 5

Legendary punk rockers THE DWARVES "Are Born Again" on May 3rd

The DWARVES are back with a new album in celebration of their 25th year together. I've long loved the Dwarves blend of punk n' roll guitar driven insanity and exploitative lyrics, great stuff. It was back in highschool in the early 90's that I was introduced to their "Blood, Guts and Pussy" album. The album's cover is a stunning depiction of two naked blood soaked beauties and a midget screwing a white bunny, that's memorable stuff.  Like many great exploitation films there's little nuance to their tunes, they tear through three chords with thrashy abandon whilst spinning deranged tales of booze, drugs and depravity. Defiitely fun stuff. If you haven't been properly introduced to the Dwarves I suggest you snag a copy of "Blood, Guts and Pussy", "Sugarfix" or "The Dwarves are Good Looking".

The Dwarves "Are Born Again"

Release Date: May 3rd 2011

Deluxe CD or vinyl package (with bonus DVD)

25th anniversary of the most bizarre and misunderstood punk rock band of all time...

The Dwarves Are Born Again features all your favorite heroes from the Dwarves long and twisted saga. Blag the Ripper, HeWhoCanNotBeNamed, Rex Everything and a cast of thousands return to crush the ears of a desperate public. Teamed with Top Ten producer Eric Valentine (Slash, All American Rejects) they have created a perfect mix of hardcore punk, ear soothing pop, and everything in between. Damaged celebrity cameos mix with twisted phone messages, ear splitting noise with dance friendly grooves, all delivered with the Dwarves trademark humor and intensity including a free DVD! 25 years in the making the Dwarves Are Born Again features heroes from throughout the Dwarves saga. Blag the Ripper, HeWhoCanNotBeNamed, Rex Everything, the Fresh Prince of Darkness and a cast of thousands including Vadge Moore and Sgt. Saltpeter from the notorious Blood, Guts and Pussy record return to crush the ears of a desperate public. You get hardcore punk, ear banging pop and everything in between from the long standing masters of all styles. Damaged rock celebrity cameos mix with twisted phone messages and ear splitting noise all delivered with the pomp and circumstance that only the mighty Dwarves can deliver.

Track Listing

•The Dwarves Are Still The Best Band Ever

•15 Minutes

•Stop Me
•Looking Out For Number One
•You'll Never Take Us Alive
•Bang Up
•We Only Came To Get High
•I Masturbate Me
•It's A Wonderful Life of Sin
•Happy Birthday Suicide
•Fake ID
•Working Class Hole
•FUTYD
•Candy Now
•Do The HeWhoCannotBeNamed
•Your Girl's Mom
•Zip Zero
•The Band That Wouldn't Die

Bonus Materials
•Includes bonus DVD

Website: http://www.thedwarves.com/
 

In honor of the Dwarves 25th anniversary and the release of ‘The Dwarves Are Born Again,’ Greedy Media presents

25 THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE DWARVES

THE DWARVES began in the 1980’s as an Illinois garage band, covering everything from the
Seeds and Moving Sidewalks to Gang of Four and Devo. They still have their paisley ties and
Beatle boots to prove it.


THE DWARVES have recorded for many of the premier independent labels- Sympathy For The
Record Industry, Epitaph, Fat, Sub/Pop, BOMP, Amphetamine Reptile, Man¹s Ruin, Recess,
Theologian, Glitterhouse, Burning Heart, White Jazz, High Voltage, No Balls, Zodiac Killer, MVD, Midnight, Reptilian and Greedy. Some of them even paid royalties.


THE DWARVES were the first punk band to regularly use samples, drum loops and found
sounds, even on their earliest recordings where they used cassette tapes to generate them.

THE DWARVES were kicked off tour with Motorhead for sleeping with the girls the aging metalheads had hired to hang out backstage. They were banned from venerable punk dive CBGBs for breaking a table and bleeding on the floor, making the venue cleaner and improving
its décor.


THE DWARVES teamed up with Top Ten producer Eric Valentine (Third Eye Blind, All American Rejects, Slash) to make their last 5 studio albums. He even showed up to some of the sessions! Valentine and Blag Dahlia helped write songs for Smashmouth, Good Charlotte and Skye Sweetnam.


THE DWARVES have been stabbed, bludgeoned, swarmed, arrested, shut down, hospitalized,
sabotaged and even fellated onstage and much of it is available on video, like the free dvd that
comes with the Dwarves Are Born Again.


THE DWARVES played with the late lamented Minutemen the week before D. Boon died, visited GG Allin in maximum security prison and did coke with Evan Dando in a seedy hotel room. And that was all in one day! Their list of collaborators on records is vast, including the ones they can contractually mention like Dexter Holland, Josh Freese, San Quinn, Nash Kato, Gary Owens, Spike Slawson, DJ Marz and Nick Oliveri.


THE DWARVES play music that crosses all genres. Their last LP ‘The Dwarves Must Die,’
combined all modern rock styles including hardcore, garage, pop punk, surf, noise, experimental, industrial, hip/hop, grunge and good old-fashioned pop. Even their modesty is legendary.


THE DWARVES music has been featured on television shows like Viva La Bam, Nash Bridges, Rob and Big, Laguna Beach, 16 and Pregnant, Homewrecker, Jackass and dozens more. They appeared naked on Monster Garage and Playboy After Dark, where HeWhoCanNotBeNamed mated with a pumpkin.


THE DWARVES first tour in 1988 covered over 6,000 miles and highlights were featured in the
Village Voice. The tour consisted of 3 cities, 4 shows and $165 dollars cash. The band traveled in a cargo van and booked gigs on stolen telephone cards.

THE DWARVES are the very best looking band in show business.

THE DWARVES did a live one-hour performance on Japan’s fabled NHK network. At the dinner afterward, they literally ate a horse. Barred from appearing in Switzerland for selling obscene merchandise, they no longer tolerate cheese with holes in it.


THE DWARVES played Berkeley’s punk collective Gilman Street the first month it opened and
appeared there with classic bands like Green Day, NOFX and the Didjits. They were later banned for beating up a fan, but don’t worry, he was a fan of some other group.


THE DWARVES are a true independent band with no outside management or record label, DIY
forever. They leave no remains when they die, only footprints in the snow.


THE DWARVES bassist Rex Everything has been tazed and did time for battery and resisting
arrest. He loves kittens, puppies and long walks on the beach. Guitarists HeWhoCanNotBeNamed and The Fresh Prince of Darkness teach and counsel troubled teens
when not ingesting cocaine and masturbating to hardcore pornography.


THE DWARVES have been members of such groups as KMFDM, Gnarls Barkley, Mondo
Generator, Motochrist, Excel, Penetration Moon, Juliette and The Licks, The Queers, Scream,
N.Y. Loose, My Head, John Cougar Concentration Camp, Kyuss, The Uncontrollable and End of Power. Don’t hold it against them.


THE DWARVES are OG’s (Original Grunge) appearing with Nirvana, Mudhoney, L7,
Supersuckers, Rev. Horton Heat and the Fluid. They watched Kurt Cobain nod out in a hotel
room and Courtney Love blow their tour manager.


THE DWARVES were attacked in 2005 by a disturbed person enraged over one of their
recordings. The first rock ‘n’ roll battle record, ‘Massacre’ proved the old adage that the truth
hurts, but so does being assaulted.


THE DWARVES are sophisticated arty liberals who live in San Francisco. Their notorious ‘Blood,Guts and Pussy’depicting a little fellow covered only by a dead rabbit surrounded by blood spattered naked Amazons, hangs proudly in the Louvre Museum. (Not that one, the one in Muncie, Indiana.)


THE DWARVES guitarist HeWhoCanNotBeNamed died in 1993 as reported in SPIN, Alternative Press, SF Weekly and Harper’s among others. Being denied entrance to Hell he returned to his mortal form, commenting later, ‘that which kills me makes me stronger.’


THE DWARVES music has been featured in films like Ghostworld, Hostel, Observe and Report
and Me, Myself and Irene where Jim Carrey crooned their song ‘Motherfucker’ while having a
nervous breakdown. They appeared in the film Kurt & Courtney where they were described as
‘one of the more violent bands’ and the hardcore porno Rocksuckers where they were described as ‘larger than average for white guys.’


THE DWARVES singer Blag the Ripper sang the novelty hit ‘Do the Sponge’ on the cartoon
series Spongebob Squarepants. Dwarf Sgt. Saltpeter has written and performed over 20 musical pieces featured since the show began.


THE DWARVES have actually been around for 27 years, but couldn’t think of 2 more things to
say about themselves. Except that Blag has published two novels, Armed to the Teeth With
Lipstick and the teenage sex romp NINA. His podcast RadioLikeYouWant.com can be heard on PunkRadioCast.com every Thursday night.


THE DWARVES sang onstage with Turbonegro at the Leeds Festival, UK. They have toured
Europe 11 times performing at Reading, Pukkelpop, Augustebuiller, Download Donnington and
Rebellion Fest to name just a few. Please don’t ruin a perfectly good gram of hash with tobacco.


THE DWARVES cannot be seen in mirrors or when the sun is out, but you can see them live in
concert soon at a theater near you. Rock critics get in free with library card!

TLACult.com Announces Nominees for 2011 TLA Cult Awards

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