FREAKS (2018) (Well Go USA Blu-ray Review)

FREAKS (2018)

Label: Well Go USA
Region Code: A/1
Rating: Unrated
Duration 108 Minutes
Audio: English DTS HD-MA 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1) 
Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein 
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Grace Park, Amanda Crew, Lexy Kolker

I think Freaks (2018) would be a hard film to discuss without spoiling it a bunch so fair warning that I will definitely be getting a bit spoilery with this review, but I think it's a film worth watching without knowing too much about it, so I think it would be best to skip this review till you've seen the film if you're wary of being spoiled even a little bit. 

This sci-fi thriller opens with a father named Henry (Emile Hirsch, Lords of Dogtown) and his 7-year-old daughter Chloe (Lexy Kolker, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) living inside a squalid-looking house, the curtains are always drawn closed and there are all sorts of stains covering the walls, it just doesn't feel like a happy home. The father continually fills his daughter's head with what seem like paranoid fantasies, telling her that if she ventures outside or is seen peering through the window that she could be killed by the bad people. He also tests her by bombarding her with questions designed to keep her identity a secret, to make her seem "normal". It's all very strange and claustrophobic, with these early scenes having a certain surreal quality to them. The film sort of begs the question, is her father a paranoid nut, or is there something more happening here?  

Chloe is a smart young girl who clearly craves a normal life, often pushing boundaries by disobeying her father's strict set of rules, such as peering through the windows to observe what looks to be a normal suburban neighborhood that is just out of her reach. She often sees a peculiar old man known as Mr. Snowcone (Bruce Dern, The 'Burbs) who comes around her street serving ice cream to the other neighborhood kids from his van. It's during one of these observations that Chloe sees a young neighbor girl that she somehow force-wills into delivering an ice cream cone to Chloe's front door, so apparently there is something special about this young girl after all, maybe her father is not so crazy as it first appears. As the film plays along we discover more of what is really happening, and there's definitely more to it than at first meets the eye. 

It takes a bit to get to the backstory and world-building but the film eventually does just that, establishing a new breed of people who have manifested special powers that the world at large deem to be a threat, and not without good reason, establishing a mass-casualty tragedy that occurred in Dallas, TX some years earlier with long-lasting implications. Without getting even more spoilerly than I already have the film absolutely brought to mind a mutant superhero story like the X-Men with mutants being perused by government agents, or the film Firestarter (1984), with young Lexy Kolker at times bringing to mind a Drew Barrymore from that film, Kolker seems whip-smart and I wouldn't be surprised to see more from this gifted young actress in the very near future. 

The film looks great, it manages a lot on what was probably not that much as far as production budget goes with modest special effects that don't overstep their limitations but are just enough to push the sci-fi elements of the film convincingly. Aside from the excellent cast a lot of credit must go to co-writer/directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein who turn is a well-crafted and thoroughly intense sci-fi thriller. 

Audio/Video: Freaks (2018) arrives on Blu-ray+DVD Combo from Well Go USA framed in 2.35:1 widescreen. It's a solid looking presentation overall but the dark and dingy confines of the interiors can be a bit murky, but things improve well in the exteriors under the sunlight. 

Audio comes by way of an English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround mix that replicated dialogue clean and crisply, there is some nice atmospheric use of the surrounds at times but I didn't find this to be the most surround-active experience. Optional English subtitles are provided.   

Extras come by way of a commentary from the directing-duo, a 16-min behind-the-scenes featurettes, plus a teaser and theatrical trailer for the film, and a small selection of Well Go USA trailers.

The 2-disc DVD+Blu-ray Combo arrives in a standard Blu-ray keepcase with a one-sided sleeve of artwork, both discs inside feature different artwork.   

Special Features:
- Directors' Commentary 
- Behind the Scenes (15 min) 
- Trailer (2 min)
- Teaser Trailer (2 min) 
- Well Go USA Trailers: Abigail (3 min), Fist Love (2 min), The Divine Fury (2 min)

Freaks (2018) is a sci-fi thriller that has plenty of tension and surprises throughout, I kept wondering where it was all going and it exceeded all my expectations by the end. This one comes highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi, superhero origins adjacent stuff like the kindred Firestarter (1984), The Fury (1978) or Scanners (1980). 

UNIVERSAL HORROR COLLECTION VOL. 3 (1939-1941) (Scream Factory Blu-ray Review)

UNIVERSAL HORROR COLLECTION VOL. 3  

Label: Scream Factory
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 285 Minutes  
Audio: English DTS-HD MA Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Full Frame (1.37:1) 
Director: Rowland N. Lee, George Waggner, Albert S. Rogell,   
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Barbara O'Neil, Ian Hunter, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, Leo. G. Carroll, Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anna Nagel, Frank Albertson, Samuel S. Hinds, Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, Bela Lugosi, Gale Sodergaard, Anne Gwynne, Gladys Cooper, Cecelia Lotus, Alan Ladd, Dick Foran, Leo Carillo, Peggy Moran, Fuzzy Knight, John Eldredge

Synopsis: Volume 3 of the Universal Horror Collection includes four tales of terror from the archives of Universal Pictures, the true home of classic horror. This collection includes such horror stars as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr. and Basil Rathbone. A ruthless king rises to power with the help of his mad and murderous executioner in Tower of London. A mad scientist transforms a carnival performer into a murderous monster in Man Made Monster. In The Black Cat, a group of greedy heirs find themselves stuck in a creepy mansion where, one by one, people turn up dead. What started out as a treasure-making scheme ends up deadly for a group of people stuck in a haunted castle with a killer known as “the Phantom” in Horror Island.

TOWER OF LONDON (1939) (92 min) 

Director: Rowland N. Lee
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Barbara O'Neil, Ian Hunter, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, Leo. G. Carroll

Tower of London (1939), not to be confused with the 1962 Roger  Corman film starring Vincent Price, stars Basil Rathbone (The Comedy of Terrors) as the unscrupulous Richard III, a hunchbacked corrupt power hungry would-be King who would see his entire family double-crossed and murdered so that he could ascend to throne, including the murder of young children in one shocking scene. The film is a medieval melodrama full of political intrigue and betrayal, with Richard being assisted by a cruel club-footed executioner named Mord, played by horror icon Boris Karloff (Black Sabbath), in a small most viciously memorable role. Set mainly in a 15th century castle the film has some good atmospheric castle charms, plus we get full use a torture dungeon, public beheading, and a dueling drinking game that end in the death of a young Vincent Price (Witchfinder General) who pops up only briefly, but memorably, in the film. There's not a lot of horrific happening in this one but it's a fun watch. Highlights for me were a little doll set that Richard III keeps of those in next in line for the throne, as he sets about murdering them he tosses their doll effigies in the fire and watches them burn. The deadly drinking game between Price and Rathbone is also pretty great, as scenes of the demented Henry VI who has been imprisoned in the Tower of London with a paper crown. This is way more a historical melodrama than a horror film but it does have a few intrinsically horrific moments, including scary crooked-legged sneaking into the rooms of the young children and measuring their length with his arms spread open, and the measuring an open grave shortly after the same way to ensure it's of the proper length for the children's bodies!  

Special Features: 
- NEW 2K scan of a fine grain print
- NEW Audio Commentary with author/film historian Steve Haberman
- Still Gallery

MAN-MADE MONSTER (1941) (60 min) 

Director: George Waggner
Cast: Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anna Nagel, Frank Albertson, Samuel S. Hinds

Sci-fi horror schlocker Man-Made Monster (1941) stars Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolfman) as circus performer who is the sole survivor of an bus accident that claimed the other lives of all others on the vehicle. His attending physician Dr. John Lawrence (Samuel S. Hinds, The Raven)) attributes his survival to a circus act the man performed using electricity, theorizing that he has been in effect electrically vaccinated due to his regular exposure to electrical currents. Dr. Lawrence invites Dan to take part in a scientific study so that he can discover the secret to his electrical immunity, but the doc's crooked assistant Dr. Paul Rigas (Lionel Atwill) has more diabolical plans, that of turning the unwitting Dan into a glowing electrical Frankenstein's Monster of sorts, a brainwashed minion to do his evil bidding, looking to create an army of glowing! Lon Chaney Jr. is a sympathetic average Joe sort of guy, and Lionel Atwill is deliciously deranged as the mad scientist out to rule the world.      

Special Features: 

- NEW Audio Commentary with author/film historian Tom Weaver and filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr
- Still Gallery

THE BLACK CAT (1941) (71 min)

Director: Albert S. Rogell
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, Bela Lugosi, Gale Sodergaard, Anne Gwynne, Gladys Cooper, Cecelia Lotus, Alan Ladd

Not to be confused with the same-titled 1933 Universal film starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, The Black Cat (1941) is a sort of old dark house whodunit centered around the wealthy and elderly matriarch Henrietta Winslow (Cecilia Loftus), who is in failing health. Her family have gathered at her mansion to await her inevitable death while trying to curry favor with her and secure a favorable spot in the matriarch's will. Apparently she's not dying fast enough and some greedy relative is trying to speed-up the process, after a failed poisoning attempt on her life the funny old crone is murdered, but certain stipulations in her will prevent interested parties from inheriting what they feel they're owed. This is a sort of pedestrian murder mystery that's played for laughs with some fun comedy coming by way of antique dealers Hubert Smith (Broderick Crawford) and Mr. Penny (Hugh Herbert), a pair who definitely have an Abbot & Costello sort of comedy routine happening here. It's all fairly rote and cliched to be honest but I love this sort of whodunit comedy, having it all wrapped up in an eerie mansion with secret passageways and a family of backbiting connivers is all good fun for me. 

Special Features: 
- NEW Audio Commentary with author/film historian Gary D. Rhodes
- Theatrical Trailer
- Still Gallery

HORROR ISLAND (1941) (61 min) 
Director: George Waggner
Cast: Dick Foran, Leo Carillo, Peggy Moran, Fuzzy Knight, John Eldredge

In the treasure-seeking comedy Horror Island (1941) Ivy League tax-evader Bill Martin (Dick Foran) is given a treasure map by a peg-legged sailor named Clump, claiming that there is 20-million dollars worth of pirate gold hidden away on an island, one that Martin just happens to already own. With the help of his trusty sidekick named Stuff Martin gathers a group of people that he's suckered into paying for the opportunity to travel by boat to the island to embark on a gas-lit treasure hunt inside a mansion on the property. This is one of those everything-and-the-kitchen-sink b-pictures that has elements of the old dark house cliches, a whodunit murder mystery, a sprinkling of  potential supernatural elements, plus a caped murderer called "the phantom" who is offing the treasure seekers on the island. I didn't find this comedy offering as pleasing as The Black Cat (1941) but it had it's moments, including the wealthy young dame played by very cute Peggy Moran, and d-list leading man Dick Foran is charming in a kind-hearted schemer sort of way. 

Special Features: 
- NEW Audio Commentary by filmmaker/film historian Ted Newsom
- Theatrical Trailer
- Still Gallery

Audio/Video: All four of these vintage Universal films arrive on a 4-disc Blu-ray set from Scream Factory framed in 1080p HD fullframe (1.37:1). Only Tower of London (1939) is advertised as being a new 2K scan from a fine grain print, and sure enough it's the best-looking of the bunch, with Horror Island (1941) coming in a close second. The films definitely look their vintage, but have been decently preserved and presented on this Blu-ray set.

Audio on all four films comes by way of an English DTS-HD MA Mono with optional English subtitles. Dialogue sounds good considering the age, there's a tiny bit of hiss and it can sound thin throughout but nothing that distracted me to the point of annoyance.

As with the previous sets I appreciate that each film is presented on it's own Blu-ray disc, though I must say that this set is anemic in the extras department compared to the previous sets. What we do get are audio commentaries from noted authors/film historians Steve Haberman (Tower of London), Gary D. Rhodes (The Black Cat), and Tom Weaver and Constantine Nasr (Man Made Monster, Horror Island) - all offering insightful and in-depth analysis of the not just the films, but contextual bits of info about the production and the cast and crew. The only other extras on the set are still galleries for all four film and a trailer for only Horror Island (1941).


The four-disc set arrives in an oversized Blu-ray keepcase with a sleeve of artwork featuring the original movie posters for each of the films. Inside there's a 12-page booklet with cast and credit information, plus stills and movie posters for all four films, but there's no synopsis or writing on the films. We also get a slipcover with the same artwork and as the wrap that has some nice shelf appeal when sitting aside the previous two volumes of the series. 

The third volume in Scream Factory's Universal Horror Collection continues to explore Universal's early vintage films outside of the traditional Universal monsters franchises, but I think you have to be a serious appreciator of vintage b-movie films from Universal's catalog to deem this worth the nearly fifty-dollar price tag, considering that these are fairly silly b-movies at best, not that I think that's a bad thing, I dig it, but it's not gonna have wide appeal for the average horror fan. I still give Scream Factory kudos for preserving these on Blu-ray, I just wish we had a few more extras on this particular set that would tip the scales a bit for those maybe on the fence about needing to purchase this set. 

EMANUELLE IN AMERICA (1977) (Mondo Macabro Blu-ray Review)

EMANUELLE IN AMERICA  (1977) 

Label: Mondo Macabro
Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 100 Minutes
Audio: English & Italian DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono with Optional Newly Translated English Subtitles  
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 
Director: Joe D'Amato
Cast: Laura Gemser, Gabriele Tinti, Roger Browne, Riccardo Salvino, Paola Senatore, Lorraine de Selle

Here we are once again with a filth-ridden film from director Joe D'Amato (Sex and Black Magic), coming at us with a slice of lurid exploitation starring the always striking  sex-goddess Laura Gemser (Violence in a Woman's Prison) as intrepid investigative journalist/fashion photographer Emanuelle. The film opens in New York City with Emanuelle being assaulted by a man with gun, the motivation for this attack is that he is mad at her for photographing his model girlfriend in the nude, but she turns the tables on him by seducing him with her mouth, which scares the prude off. It's a strange opening, but perhaps not as strange as a notorious sex-act seen later in the film, or how little of the film actually takes place in America given the title.

After the opening Emanuelle travels to Europe on assignment, going undercover in a sex harem run by an arms dealer, rubbing shoulders and bumping naughty bits with various men and women as you might expect from an Emanuelle film. On a purely erotic level the film does not disappoint, there's lots of sex and orgies with plenty of organic hardcore action, these apparently aren't the usual hardcore inserts. The most shocking stuff by a country mile would the the notorious image of a woman pleasuring a horse named Pedro by stroking it's stallion rocket - that's right - this film has a smidgen of  bestiality in it, so strap yourself in and prepare to be pummeled. To be fair there's no penetration happening with the horse but it's definitely getting a hand-job!

Emanuelle's investigative travels eventually land her on a tropical island where wealthy sex-deprived women pay for stud-men to sex them up. It's on this island that Emanuelle uncovers an underground snuff film operation, and I was a bit surprised how gory and visceral the snuff film footage is, it's pretty gruesome stuff, and wouldn't have been out of place in a harder edged exploitation film. That's what I love about director Joe D'Amamto, he throws a little bit of everything into his films, unafraid to mix up violence and sex in preposterous but entertaining ways, and this film is no different. 

Audio/Video: Emanuelle In America (1977) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro with a fresh 4K scan from the original 35mm negative, framed in 1.85:1 widescreen in 1080p HD. It's a wonderfully filmic presentation with natural-looking grain and some nice depth and clarity throughout, only looking softer during some steamy - on more ways than one -  spa scenes. There's not much damage to the source either, it's a solid looking presentation, with the colors looking accurate and well-saturated. The multitude of skintones seen throughout also look natural, with some good-looking fine detail in the close-ups accentuating every nipple and naughty bit.  

Audio on he disc comes by way of both Italian and English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono with optional English subtitles. Dialogue is always crisp and clear, and there's some good depth and fidelity to the score from  Nico Fidenco (Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals) which sounds terrific. 

Extras begin with an excellent audio commentary from Euro-cult enthusiasts Bruce Holecheck (Cinema Arcana) and Nathaniel Thompson (Mondo Digital), it's a well-researched and entertaining commentary that touches on the history of the Emanuelle films, star Laura Gemser and her relationship with director Joe D'Amato, and digging into both of their careers as well as the Emanuelle series of films. It's a solid track, loaded with info and colorful commentary on the film. 

We also a 62-min archival interview with the late director Joe D'Amato who speaks about his career, starting out in westerns before getting into horror and exploitation films, his views on erotic film and hardcore sex in those films, plus his relationship with star Laura Gemser. This is an interview I've seen before, not sure which release but it was, but definitely something from Shriek Show back in the day on DVD. We also get a new 36-min interview with author David Flint who deep dives into the history of the Em(m)anuelle films, beginning with the source novel, into the Sylvia Kristel films and the ensuing cash grab films including the Black Emanuelle films with Laura Gemser that were directed by D'Amato. It's a good watch, to be honest I'm not all that familiar with the lineage of the series so I appreciated him filling in the cracks so to speak. The disc is zipped-up with a Mondo Macabro trailer reel that runs about 14-min and is an event unto itself. 

The single-disc release comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keepcase with a reversible sleeve of artwork, I I also like that the spine logo font for the film are different for each option. The film was previously issued by Mondo Macabro as a Red Case Limited Edition featuring a red keepcase with an exclusive reversible artwork option, plus a booklet containing an essay on the film by Heather Drain and a set of collectible postcards, none of which are found on this standard release version, but the feature and disc-extras are exactly the same. 

Special Features: 
- Archival Documentary: Joe D'Amato Totally Uncut: The Erotic Experience (62 min) 
- Audio commentary by Eurotrash aficionados Bruce Holecheck and Nathaniel Thompson
- From To M’s To One: The Story Of Em(m)anuelle: Brand new interview with author David Flint (36 min)
- Mondo Macabro Trailer Reel (14 min)

For me just seeing sexpot Laura Gemser in glorious HD is reason enough to need this Blu-ray, on top of that if you're a fan of the Black Emanuelle series or are into naughty Euro-trash this is a must-own slice of D'Amato directed exploitation, it's hot stuff, and peppered with plenty of D'Amato's trademark lunatic touches that keep it interesting for the whole 100-minutes. 

THE EPITAPH - HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2019

THE EPITAPH - HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Christmas will be here sooner than you think and you've been watching too many movies and not doing enough shopping, so here's a quick list of suggested gifts, for your movie-loving friends and family, or maybe just for yourself...

SUSPIRIA (1977) 

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Combo

I am starting off with the big-one, Dario Argento's witchy masterpiece Suspiria has arrived on 4K Ultra HD from independent  distributor Synapse Films, it's their debut UHD release and it's a stunner! With a gorgeous new HDR color-grading and a new Atmos remix this is far and away the release of the year! The already gorgeous restoration has been given new vibrancy, if you have a horror fan on your gift list this year this is the gotta-have-it item this year, Argento's pulse-pounding frightener has never looked better and I don't think it ever will. 

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM (2019)

4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray+Digital

The John Wick series starring Keanue Reeves is one of the most hard-hitting, action-packed and solidly entertaining film series to come along in some time, and this third entry is my favorite of the series. It looks absolutely breathtaking on 4K Ultra HD, highly recommended and it's an easy buy for about $20 right now on Amazon. 

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (2019) 

4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray+Digital 

The beloved kinder-trauma book series Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark has been adapted into a pretty great film that I think I would make a terrific starter-horror film for young young teens who dig the scary stuff. The PG-13 film is not bloody or gory but it is a creepy thrill-ride that made me think back to the way that I felt when I first watched Ghostbusters when I was eleven, so be the cool uncle or whatever and get this one for the kids.  

GREMLINS (1984) 

4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray+Digital HD 

When it comes to childhood favorites that helped shape my love of horror Joe Dante's Christmas-terror classic Gremlins (1984), is right up there with Ghostbusters (1984) as formative kinder-trauma viewing. The 4K Ultra HD release from WB looks absolutely fantastic, every family needs this movie in their collection, so be the one that puts it on their shelf in 4K!

APOCALYPSE NOW - FINAL CUT (1979) 

4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray+Digital HD 

Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) is easily one of the best film sever made and this ridiculously low priced - only $13! -  six-disc set contains four versions of the film in 4K Ultra HD plus a wealth of new and vintage extras, with an awesome 4K upgrade that make this easily a contender for 4K release of the year. 

ULTRASEVEN: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1967-1968) 

 Blu-ray+Digital SteelBook Edition

ULTRAMAN ORB: SERIES & MOVIE (2016-2017) Blu-ray+Digital Combo 

ULTRAMAN GEED: SERIES & MOVIE (2017) 

Blu-ray+Digital Combo

Mill Creek Entertainment have continued to spread the joy of Japanese superhero TV show Ultraman and it's many spin-offs this year with these several new collections from various decades. If you love vintage sci-fi, alien-invasion and kaiju battling superhero stuff then I recommend these sets, I think they mght even appeal to kids who dig Power Rangers type stuff, but just know that these sets are in Japanese with English subtitles, so it might limit the appeal to the kids. I'll make special mention of the UltraSeven Complete Series SteelBook edition which is just a gorgeous release, a hefty set with a cool-looking design and attractive clear slipcover. Inside there's a episode guide detailing the production, the heroes, plus a look at the kaiju and tech of the series. I definitely lean more towards the vintage 60's Ultraman, Ultraman Q and UltraSeven series more so than the the more recent incarnations of the show which to my getting-older eyes just feels a bit too Power Rangers-esque for my tastes, but I dig the vintage series a bunch and MCE have released them in some great looking, and budget-minded, sets. 

THE FARE (2018) (Dread Blu-ray Review)

THE FARE (2018) 

Label: Dread/Epic Pictures
Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 82 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 with Optional English and Spanish Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: D.C. Hamilton
Cast: Gino Anthony Pesi, Brinna Kelly, Jason Stuart

Romantic mystery film The Fare (2018) opens in black and white monochrome with a nice-guy cab driver named Harris (Gino Anthony Pesi) driving on remote stretch of dirt road, the black and white lensing immediately gives the film a certain noir-ish tinge. Harris is talking with a gravelly voiced dispatch (Jason Stuart) on the CB while listening to a conspiracy talk radio on the topic of time-travelling aliens. He picks up his fare, a woman named Penny (Brinna Kelly) and the pair engage in some backseat chit chat, both noticing that there's a strange connection between the two, they have some instant chemistry. As they talk a storm looms on the horizon, and then Penny suddenly 
disappears from the backseat cab in a flash of light, leaving Harrison in a bit of shock. After taking a few moments to recover from the jolt of the woman disappearing from his cab he resets his meter, and it is then that he learns that he's stuck in a bit of a time loop, with the driver endlessly picking up his mysterious fare over and over again, engaging in increasingly deeper conversations, only for her to disappear from the backseat.

The film is a strange bit of a love story with a cool Twilight Zone-ish sci-fi bent to it that pulled me right in. It's more or less a single-location film set inside a cab with only two characters, though we do eventually get a few more fares and some flashback sequences that fill in the story a bit, but for most of the 82-minutes this is a two-person show starring Gino Anthony Pesi, Brinna Kelly, and I think they both turned in stellar performances.

I came into this with some hesitation, a single-location film with small cast might have proven to be a bit of a slog, especially one with a potentially novel time-loop crutch, all of which screams under-funded indie film with too wide-eyes, but The Fare manages to succeed by creating wonderful characters who have more than a bit of mystery about them who are interesting from the get-go. During the endless loops together the pair begin to form a deeper bond, with the film's monochromatic look giving way to color as the characters find moments of clarity and recognition, which further fuels the mystery of the film.

While it's a dialogue driven film it's not the usual boring chit-chat, the characters and their exchanges not only feel natural and true but are interesting. The premise is simple yet mysterious, and it had me clutching at all sorts of theories, everything from an alien-influence to multi-verse and all sorts of stuff in between, and when the reality of the situation unfolds in the final stretch I was pleasantly surprised with where it took me. 

I wont spoil it for you but if you dig romantic films with turns of Twilight Zone sci-fi and mythological tragedy The Fare is not your usual indie offering, this is a solid watch and comes highly recommended.  

Audio/Video: The Fare (2019) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from the Epic Pictures imprint Dread framed in 2.35:1 widescreen in 1080p HD. The image looks solid, shot on digital there are no imperfections to deal with, clarity and depth look pleasing and fine detail is abundant. Audio comes by way of lossy English Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1, with optional English and Spanish subtitles. 


As extras go this disc is pretty stacked by comparison to other releases from Dread I've watched. We a pair of audio commentaries, the first with director D.C. Hamilton, the second with star/writer Brinna Kelly. We also get a 5-min extended scene, a 2-min montage of unused footage, a 2-min original opening, a 1-min bit of the conspiracy talk radio heard in the film, a 3-min gag reel, and a 3-min breakdown of the flashback scene with storyboards. Most of these bits have an introduction or voice-over input from the director.

There are also two featurettes, we get a 9-min interview with the director and cinematographer Josh Harrison who discuss shooting the film, the color tones used in the film, the extensive planning that made the incredibly short six-day shoot possible, and shooting the day for night scenes, and using a drone and rear-projection on the film, it's cool stuff for those into the nitty-gritty of indie film making. 

For those of us who didn't pay attention to Greek mythology in eight grade we have star and screenwriter Brinna Kelly who shows up for a 15-min deep dive into the film, going into the mythological themes of the film and pointing out a multitude of Easter eggs along the way. It's a great watch that added a lot to my second viewing of the film. 

We also get a selection of trailers and a TV spot for the film in addition to four Dread trailers for other properties. The single-disc release comes housed in a standard non eco-lite keepcase with a one-sided sleeve of artwork, featuring the usual dread numbered spine.   

Special Features: 
- Audio Commentary with director D.C. Hamilton
- Audio Commentary with star/writer Brinna Kelly
- "Lost in the Fog" Extended Scene (5 min)
- Original Opening (2 min) 
- Beyond FM (1 min) 
- Flashback Scene Breakdown (3 min)
- Gag Reel (3 min)
- Secrets of The Fare with Brinna Kelly (15 min) 
- The Look of The Fare with Director D.C. Hamilton and Cinematographer Josh Harrison (9 min)
- Alternate Realities: Unused Footage Montage (2 min)
Dread Trailers: Harpoon (1 min), Candy Corn (2 min), Automation (2 min), Red Letter Day (1 min)
- Trailer (2 min)
- Teaser (1 min) 
- TV Spot (1 min)

The Fare (2019) was a real nice surprise, not a horror film by an means but an indie that deals with a time loop that manages to not only not be the same-old same-old but offers a tragic love-story story with some cool mythological and sci-fi bits that make this something more than just the usual fare, a definite recommend.