Links www.youtube.com/mrparka https://www.instagram.com/mrparka/ https://twitter.com/mrparka00 http://www.screamingtoilet.com/dvd--blu-ray https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://www.facebook.com/mrparka http://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/ https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934?mt=2 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://letterboxd.com/mrparka/ https://www.patreon.com/mrparka Time Stamps Some Corrections – Review – 0:12 “Trapped Alive” Review – 1:13 “She-Devils on Wheels/ Just For the Hell of It” Review– 9:04 / 14:24 “Double Impact” Review – 17:40 “Boogie Boy” Review – 25:02 Patreon Pick “Fearless” Review – 32:42 Hammer Time Episode 3(“The Curse of Frankenstein” and “Horror of Dracula”) W Jeremy – 38:10 / 54:52 Pick a Movie “The Other Side of Hell” Review W Matt – 1:10:00 Pick a Movie Drawing – 1:27:05 Questions – 1:28:02 Answers “Best deal you ever got on a movie?” – 1:32:49 Question of the Week “Any filmmaker you never got the appeal of?” – 1:37:26 Update – 1:37:58 Interview with Matt Hudson – 1:43:55 Video Reviews"Trapped Alive" Blu-Ray Review (Arrow Video)![]() Genre regular Cameron Mitchell (The Toolbox Murders, From a Whisper to a Scream) stars in this thrilling tale of escaped hoodlums and underground-dwelling cannibals from director Leszek Burzynski and Hellraiser producer Christopher Webster. One wintry night, pals Robin and Monica are making their way to a Christmas party when they're carjacked by a gang of crooks recently escaped from the local penitentiary. With the two young women taken as hostages, things take an even darker turn when their vehicle plummets down an abandoned mine shaft, trapping them underground with the dangerous crooks - and a mutant cannibal. Filmed in 1988 under the title of Forever Mine but not released until 1993, Trapped Alive was the first film to come out of Wisconsin's now-defunct Windsor Lake Studios, which would go on to produce a number of films under the Fangoria Films label in the early-90s, including 1992's Bruce Campbell-starring Mindwarp. Bonus Materials Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray) Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Brand new audio commentary with director Leszek Burzynski Brand new audio commentary with special effects artist Hank Carlson and horror writer Josh Hadley Brand new audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues There’s EVIL Underground… - brand new making-of documentary featuring interviews with director Leszek Burzynski, cinematographer Nancy Schreiber, production manager Alexandra Reed and actors Alex Kubik and Sullivan Hester Upper Michigan Tonight - 1988 TV documentary on Windsor Lake Studios, featuring footage from behind the scenes of Trapped Alive and contemporary interviews with director Leszek Burzynski, producer Christopher Webster and production designer Brian Savegar Leszek Burzynski: The Early Years - the Trapped Alive director discusses his early forays into genre movie-making Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Justin Osbourn FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Zach Carlson Arrow Video – https://www.arrowvideo.com/ “Trapped Alive” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/trapped-alive-blu-ray "She-Devils on Wheels" and "Just For the Hell of It" Blu-Ray Review (Arrow Video)![]() Wild! Vicious! With motorcycles as their lovers! Experience sights and sounds beyond your very imagining as "Godfather of Gore" Herschell Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast, Two Thousand Maniacs!) tackles the biker chick sub-sub-genre with She-Devils on Wheels! Have you ever heard the saying "it's a man's world"? Well don't dare repeat that to The Man-Eaters - a raucous, rowdy and randy gang of female bikers who ride their men just as viciously as they do their motorcycles. When they're not racing each other to get first pick of the "stud line-up", these female hellcats are busy terrorizing the town and clashing with the rival male gangs. Billed as "by far the most exciting picture of its type ever filmed", She-Devils on Wheels sees splatter pioneer H.G. Lewis going full throttle with the most shocking biker flick of its kind - now accompanied by his other vicious gang opus Just for the Hell of It for a thrilling, pulse-racing double-bill! Bonus Materials High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Original Uncompressed PCM Mono Audio English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Bonus Feature! 1968’s Just for the Hell of It! Introductions to both films by Herschell Gordon Lewis She-Devils on Wheels feature-length audio commentary with H.G. Lewis and Something Weird’s Mike Vraney The Shocking Truth! – filmmaker and Grindhouse Releasing head honcho Bob Murawski on his discovery of the films of H.G. Lewis Garage Punk Gore – filmmaker and musician Chris Alexander discusses the films and music of H.G. Lewis H.G Lewis on his 1968 film The Ally Tramp H.G. Lewis Promo Gallery Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil Arrow Video – https://www.arrowvideo.com/ “She-Devils on Wheels” and “Just For the Hell of It” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/she-devils-on-wheels-blu-ray "Double Impact" Blu-Ray Review (MVD Rewind Collection) ![]() Twin brothers torn apart by violence. On a mission of revenge. Together they deliver... DOUBLE IMPACT! What could be better than Jean-Claude Van Damme (Lionheart) in an explosively entertaining action extravaganza? Two of him! There's twice the excitement, twice the mayhem and twice the fun in this turbo-charged adventure that pushes the thrills into overdrive. Van Damme leaps into the dual roles of Chad and Alex Wagner, twin brothers who were separated after their parents' brutal murder. Years later, the two couldn't be more different: Chad is a slick Beverly Hills fitness instructor, while Alex is a rough and tumble smuggler on the gritty streets of Hong Kong. But when fate throws them together again, Chad and Alex discover that there's one thing they have in common: they're both fighting machines! Determined to enact revenge on their parents' killers, the martial-arts experts kick, chop and shoot all the way to an electrifying final showdown aboard a gargantuan freighter in Hong Kong harbor. Bonus Materials High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the main feature in 1.85:1 aspect ratio English Surround DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 English SDH, Spanish, French Subtitles BRAND NEW - Interviews with cast and crew (TBD) Rare, never before seen behind the scenes footage (TBD)! Original Theatrical Trailer (SD) Collectible Mini- Poster MVD Rewind Collection Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MVDRewindCollection/ “Double Impact” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/double-impact-collectors-edition-blu-ray "Boogie Boy" Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Review (MVD Rewind Collection)![]() From Executive Producer Roger Avary, The Academy Award Winning Writer of Pulp Fiction After being released from Prison, Jesse Page (Mark Dacascos, John Wick 3: Parabellum) backs his old friend Larry (Jaimz Woovett, Unforgiven) on a drug deal gone sour. With the drug dealers hot on his tail, Jesse has three days to reach Detroit where a new, clean, legitimate life awaits him. Along the way, his ties to his junkie, criminal past are put to the test... What is true friendship made of? How far should loyalty go? These are questions Jesse must answer on the road to his new life in this gritty action thriller. Bonus Materials High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations of the main feature Brand New 4K HD Master from the original camera negative supervised by director Craig Hamann English Subtitles Original Theatrical Trailer Collectible Mini-Poster Feature Length Making of Documentary MVD Rewind Collection Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MVDRewindCollection/ “Boogie Boy” Blu-Ray/DVD Combo – https://mvdshop.com/products/boogie-boy-special-edition-blu-ray-dvd Patreon Pick "Fearless" Blu-Ray Review![]() MASTERING OTHERS IS STRENGTH. MASTERING YOURSELF MAKES YOU FEARLESS. Huo Yuan Jia became the most famous martial arts fighter in all of China at the turn of the 20th Century. Huo faced personal tragedy but ultimately fought his way out of darkness, defining the true spirit of martial arts and also inspiring his nation. The son of a great fighter who didn't wish for his child to follow in his footsteps, Huo resolves to teach himself how to fight - and win. “Fearless” Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/Jet-Lis-Fearless-Blu-ray-Li/dp/B001HUWQEK/ Hammer Time "The Curse of Frankenstein" Streaming Review (VUDU) and "Horror of Dracula" Blu-Ray Review (Warner Archive)![]() THE CREATURE CREATED BY MAN AND FORGOTTEN BY NATURE! Baron Victor Frankenstein has discovered life’s secret and unleashed a blood-curdling chain of events resulting from his creation: a cursed creature with a horrid face — and a tendency to kill. “The Curse of Frankenstein” VUDU – https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/The-Curse-of-Frankenstein/9673 WHO WILL HIS BRIDE BE TONIGHT? After Jonathan Harker attacks Dracula at his castle (apparently somewhere in Germany), the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker's fiancée. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. van Helsing, Harker's friend and fellow-student of vampires, who is determined to destroy Dracula, whatever the cost. Warner Archive – https://www.wbshop.com/collections/warner-archive “Horror of Dracula” Blu-Ray – https://www.wbshop.com/products/horror-of-dracula-bd Pick a Movie "The Other Side of Hell" Streaming Review (Amazon Prime)![]() A disturbed, but highly intelligent man is sent to a criminally insane hospital to serve time and rehabilitate. But when he arrives, he discovers it’s in fact a closed world where brutality is an everyday occurrence. “The Other Side of Hell” Amazon Prime Streaming – https://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Hell-Alan-Arkin/dp/B07FZ7K9J3/ Ask a Question/Answer a QuestionOne filmmaker you never got the appeal of? Podcast Version![]() https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934? https://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/e/mrparka-s-weekly-reviews-episode-107-audio-version/ UpdateBlu-Ray 1. Island of Terror 2. Unsane 3. Chasing the Dragon 4. Winchester 5. The Forest 6. Contracted Phase 2 7. The Children 8. The Other Side of the Door 9. Acts of Vengeance 10. The Tall Man 11. Scenic Route 12. Three Billboards 13. Brimstone 14. Antibirth 15. The Offspring 16. The Boy 17. Straw Dogs 18. Splinter DVDS 19. Black Dynamite 20. Haunter 21. Zombie Massacre 2: Reich of the Dead 22. Beguiled 23. Dark Was the Night 24. Animalistic 25. Open Wound 26. Contracted Phase 2 Film NotesTrapped Alive – 1988 – Leszek Burzynski
She-Devils on Wheels – 1968 – Herschell Gordon Lewis Just For the Hell of It – 1968 – Herschell Gordon Lewis Double Impact – 1991 – Sheldon Lettich Boogie Boy – 1998 – Craig Hamann Fearless – 2006 – Ronny Yu The Curse of Frankenstein – 1957 – Terence Fisher Horror of Dracula – 1958 – Terence Fisher The Other Side of Hell – 1978 – Ján Kadár
2 Comments
Links www.youtube.com/mrparka https://www.instagram.com/mrparka/ https://twitter.com/mrparka00 http://www.screamingtoilet.com/dvd--blu-ray https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://www.facebook.com/mrparka http://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/ https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934?mt=2 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://letterboxd.com/mrparka/ https://www.patreon.com/mrparka Time Stamps “The Uncanny” Review – 0:51 “Saint Bernard” Review – 9:12 “White Chamber” Review– 15:11 “A Record of Sweet Murder” Review – 20:29 “Lords of Chaos” Review – 25:05 “Karate Kill” Review – 34:42 Patreon Pick “The House That Jack Built” – 39:25 The Weekly Western “Sabata” Review – 44:20 Hammer Time Episode 2 (“The Abominable Snowman” and “Quatermass 2”) w Jeremy – 52:57 and 1:02:31 Pick a Movie “Phantom of the Paradise” Review – 1:18:10 Pick a Movie Drawing – 1:25:01 Questions – 1:25:26 Answers “What mash up of VS flick would you like to see? “ – 1:29:15 Question of the Week “Best deal you ever got on a movie?” – 1:33:55 Update – 1:34:20 Video Reviews"The Uncanny" Blu-Ray Review (Severin Films)![]() Written by MrParka Severin Films brings the Canadian/ UK production “The Uncanny” to Blu-Ray for the first time ever! “The Uncanny” is a star studded horror anthology all about the dangers of evil cats. Most certainly notable for its involvement of film legends Peter Cushing, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasance with support from Samantha Eggar and John Vernon. Peter Cushing is an eccentric author who brings publisher Ray Milland a transcript about murders that were caused by cats. Cushing, convinced all of it is real, spends the night telling Milland three tales of feline fatalities. The first story involves a greedy nephew and his girlfriend attempting to change a will. The second story involves a young girl whose lost everything but her beloved cat and a book of spells. And the final story is that of an eccentric actor who faces off against his deceased wife’s cat. All told to the tune of EC comics with just desserts and tongue in cheek performances. “The Uncanny” is clearly a low budget project, but that doesn’t stop it from being first rate fun. The first story feels the most like a Tales from the Crypt or Vault of Horror storyline. The greed and absurdity of a woman who leaves her riches to her cats seems just weird enough to be real. After the initial attack and murder, it pits a lone person against a horde of hungry cats who just inherited a fortune. The lead performance from Susan Penhaligon is pretty good as for the most part is doesn’t have anyone to act against except cats. Her final end is a little shocking, but not unexpected. The second story is probably the weakest. It feels sort of like the odd one out and probably the cheapest (shot in Canada perhaps). The inclusion of black magic spells is probably the most interesting part. After all, a killer cat anthology without black magic seems a little wrong. The ending of this short may seem a little grotesque but nearly all these shorts, no matter how playful they are, end in a rather morbid and gory fashion. The strongest story of the three is the final one, probably due to its strong cast; Donald Pleasance, Samantha Eggar, and John Vernon. Pleasance gets a chance to chew the scenery as an egotistical monster of an actor. His performance is vastly enjoyable and aware of its ridiculousness. Pleasance was not often considered a comedic actor, but he was most capable of it. The wraparound itself is a blast, watching Ray Milland roll his eyes at Cushing eccentricities and off the wall stories. The final twist is expected but has to be respected. “The Uncanny” is all around a perfect film to put in and watch in the Halloween season. The stories are quick, easy to follow, and all pack a nice little gross out moment that doesn’t get too graphic. The film looks and sounds good. The disc also includes an interview with actress Susan Penhaligon where she recollects her experiences working with Cushing and working on the film. Plot Summary: Severin Films presents THE UNCANNY –On Blu-ray for the first time ever. In 1977, legendary Amicus co-founder Milton Subotsky (ASYLUM, AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS) teamed with Canadian producer Claude Héroux (SCANNERS, VIDEODROME) for the anthology shocker CelluloidDiaries.com calls “highly entertaining…the best killer cat movie there is!” Peter Cushing, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Samantha Eggar (THE BROOD), Susan Penhaligon (PATRICK), John Vernon (POINT BLANK) and Alexandra Stewart (GOODBYE EMMANUELLE) star in this grisly portmanteau about a paranoid writer (Cushing) who must convince his publisher (Milland) that all cats are unholy fiends based on three tales of kitty carnage. Directed by Denis Héroux (NAKED MASSACRE) from a screenplay by Michel Parry (XTRO) with cinematography by Harry Waxman (THE WICKER MAN), THE UNCANNY is now scanned from an inter-negative recently discovered in a London vault. Special Features: - The Cat's Victim: Interview with Actress Susan Penhaligon - Trailer. Severin Films – https://severin-films.com/ “The Uncanny” Blu-Ray – https://severin-films.com/shop/uncanny-blu-slip/ "Saint Bernard" Blu-Ray Review (Severin Films)![]() Written by MrParka Severin Films doesn’t often release contemporary films, but when they do they are usually something so weird, different, and off the wall they have to be seen to be believed. Similar to “Bag Boy Lover Boy,” Gabe Bartalos’s wild ride “Saint Bernard” is just that. “Saint Bernard” follows the story of a would-be musical conductor named Bernard who finds the severed head of a saint bernard on the road. Bernard picks up the head and carries it around with him while he bumps into strange characters including a disgusting police force, a garbage woman, and a dwarf. Where does one start with something like this? “Saint Bernard” is a film that leaves you wondering if you even enjoyed your experience. And that is exactly what it is, an experience. Some films leave me scratching my head putting things together and coming up with a theory on what it all met. “Saint Bernard” on the other hand feels more like a film that wanted to showcase some cool concepts and effects while maybe getting something across in the process. Like the director says in the special features, each effect or action that happens to the character propels the story along. It’s similar to an adventure film where a group of people are on a mission, but Bernard here feels aimless. The flashbacks he suffers from tell a story that is probably the most concrete thing in the entire film. A story of abuse and anguish, and by the end it does seem to lead to a conclusion or at least a confrontation. The effects are top notch as is the production design; all of it looks one of a kind and from the same madman. Gabe Bartalos is a unique film maker and he isn’t scared to get weird with his shots or be experimental. Nothing about this film is lazy, it feels like a lot of hard work and set ups, sometimes for a half a second shot. It’s a weird one, but it’s one that won’t be forgotten. Severin Films has included a making of on the disc and a trailer. The film looks good on Blu-Ray, the colors pop very well. All in all “Saint Bernard” feels like a cult film already and one that could catch on. Plot Summary: His award-winning FX career spans both grindhouse (BRAIN DAMAGE, FRANKENHOOKER, the LEPRECHAUN series) and art-house (Matthew Barney’s CREMASTER CYCLE). Now writer/producer/director Gabe Bartalos brings his own years-in-the-making vision to the screen, as an unhinged orchestra conductor named Bernard (Jason Dugre of Bartalos’ SKINNED DEEP) graphically descends into a surreal odyssey of chaos, psychosis and “f*cked-up sh*t that looks cool as hell” (Bloody-Disgusting.com). Warwick Davis (WILLOW) and notorious Andy Kaufman cohort Bob Zmuda (MAN ON THE MOON) co-star – with a performance by punk legends The Damned – in this “must-see for the truly adventurous” (UnseenFilms.net), transferred from the original negative and unleashed beyond the underground festival circuit for the first time ever. Special Features: - The Making of SAINT BERNARD. - Trailer. Severin Films – https://severin-films.com/ “Saint Bernard” Blu-Ray – https://severin-films.com/shop/saint-bernard-blu-slip/ "White Chamber" Blu-Ray Review (Dark Sky Films)![]() Written by MrParka Dark Sky Films brings “White Chamber” to Blu-Ray stateside. “White Chamber” is a science fiction thriller with political substance helming from the UK. The release date is unmistakable timing with the Brexit divide and the thought of civil war in the back of many heads. “White Chamber” opens up letting us know the UK is in war with each other; one side in favor of a fascist government and disdain for immigrants and the other a strong resistance to. Soon after, the film changes gears and we are introduced to a white chamber with a lone person inside. Torture and mental warfare ensue until we are shown the previous week and learn our sympathy for our victim may be misplaced. “White Chamber” seems to change films twice within the first 15 minutes of the runtime. In the very beginning the film is large; the possibilities are endless with what could be a civil war science fiction film. To my dismay, we are quickly in the world of torture. The focus gets smaller with a seemingly bewildered woman in a torture chamber. The chamber our lead is in can heat up and cool down to punishing temperatures and even drip acid. As far as torture films go, the production design is well done as is the acting, but I think most audiences will be relieved when we take another turn. Before long the film jumps back in time and it seems the roles of our characters have switched. This ends up being effective in that your sympathy and anger have been relocated and it shreds some light on the idea that context matters. As the days count down and we get closer to the beginning of the film, you have almost completely changed sides and have learned about experimentations related to the war happening outside the facility. Although everyone seems to have genuine motives for their acts, it’s not so much what they are doing as it is how they are doing it that makes them villains. The special effects are solid and work fairly well when they are practical; a few moments of CGI blood splatter at the end seems pointless and isn’t up to snuff with the rest of the film. The production design of the film is solid; the white chamber itself is effective and the computer effects used in those scenes work. “White Chamber” attempts to bring up many ideas when it comes to war and even shows some complexity in its characters. Overall the film is a nice attempt at asking some questions while making a decent film. The release does not include any special features. Plot Description: The first Brexit film, ready for release on Brexit Day (March 29, 2019)! The United Kingdom in the near future. Civil war rages, and martial law has been declared by a military government hellbent on quashing the opposition. A woman (Scottish BAFTA nominee Shauna MacDonald, The Descent) wakes up in a blindingly white cuboid cell, where General Zakarian (Oded Fehr) uses increasingly sophisticated and cruel methods to torture her for information – information she claims not to have. As questions of trust are placed both on captor and captive, they find themselves embroiled in an increasingly spiraling journey into the nature of authority. Tense, shocking, and all-too-relevant, White Chamber poses the question: can there even be such a thing as certainty in these most uncertain of times? Dark Sky Films – https://darkskyfilms.com/ “White Chamber” Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/White-Chamber-Blu-ray-Shauna-MacDonald/dp/6317740860/ "A Record of Sweet Murder" Blu-Ray Review (Unearthed Films)![]() TO BRING BACK ONE SOUL HE MUST KILL 27 PEOPLE! From Koji Shiraishi, director of GROTESQUE, NOROI THE CURSE, THE SLIT-MOUTHED WOMAN and SEDAKO VS. KAYAKO comes A RECORD OF SWEET MURDER: Sang-joon has recently escaped from a mental institution and managed to amass a kill count in the high teens, a South Korean journalist and a Japanese cameraman are invited to an abandoned apartment to interview the murderer. They believe the wanted criminal has committed 18 murders, but the criminal claims he has already killed 25. He furthermore claims that if he completes the killing of all 27 on his list, not only will his dead friend be resurrected, but also all 27 will come back to life. Bonus Materials Still Gallery Trailers Unearthed Films – http://www.unearthedfilms.com/ “A Record of Sweet Murder” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/a-record-of-sweet-murder-blu-ray "Lords of Chaos" Blu-Ray Review![]() Based on truth and lies "The story of True Norwegian Black Metal and its most notorious practitioners: a group of young men with a flair for publicity, church-burning and murder: MAYHEM. Oslo, 1987. Seventeen-year-old Euronymous is determined to escape his idyllic Scandinavian hometown and create "true Norwegian black metal" with his band, MAYHEM. He's joined by equally fanatical youths - Dead and Varg. Believing that they're on the cusp of a musical revolution, the group gets even darker, driven by the black metal dogma to spread evil. They begin burning down churches throughout the countryside and stealing tombstones for their record store. But when the press catches up with them and Euronymous takes more credit than he's earned for the group's violent acts, Varg, fresh out of jail, arranges a dark encounter to settle the score and ultimately determine who the darkest black metal musician is." Bonus Materials Eleven director's teasers and trailers “Lords of Chaos” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/lords-of-chaos-blu-ray-dvd "Karate Kill" Streaming Review (Amazon Prime)![]() When a mysterious loner and Karate master Kenji's little sister goes missing, whoever stands in the way of finding her will face the wrath of KARATE KILL! “Karate Kill” Amazon Prime Streaming – https://www.amazon.com/Karate-Kill-Hayate/dp/B06ZZG3GWS/ Patreon Pick "The House That Jack Built" Blu-Ray Review (Import)![]() Failed architect, engineer and vicious murderer Jack narrates the details of some of his most elaborately orchestrated crimes, each of them a towering piece of art that defines his life's work as a serial killer for twelve years. “The House That Jack Built” UK Uncut Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/House-That-Jack-Built-Blu-ray/dp/B07J34LZQ4/ The Weekly Western "Sabata" Blu-Ray Review (Kino Lorber)![]() Mastered in HD - Who he is and where he came from, no one knows. But the leading citizens of the Western town of Daugherty think he knows too much. And they want to silence him ; forever. Get ready for the fast-paced, explosive action as Lee Van Cleef (For a Few Dollars More) stars as Sabata, the mysterious, steely-eyed gunslinger who, after he discovers Daugherty's elite are the masterminds behind the elaborate bank heist, imposes his bullet-laced brand of justice on the town. Bribes, bullets and even his turncoat best friend can't stop Sabata as he guns and gallops to a final spectacular shootout that's one of the biggest gunfights ever seen in the movies. Filmed in Spain and Italy, Sabata is another of producer Alberto Grimaldi's (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) hard-hitting western, a series that began as an imi- tation of the Hollywood genre but resulted in the creation of a new screen star and the Western "anti-hero". Kino Lorber – https://www.kinolorber.com/ “Sabata” Blu-Ray – https://www.kinolorber.com/product/sabata-dvd Hammer Time "The Abominable Snowman" DVD Review (Import) and "Quatermass 2" DVD Review (Import)![]() SEE IT WITH SOMEONE BRAVE! -- A TIMELESS TERROR TO FREEZE YOU TO YOUR SEATS! A kindly English botanist and a gruff American promoter lead an expedition to the Himalayas in search of the legendary Yeti. “The Abominable Snowman” DVD Import – https://www.amazon.it/Mostruoso-Uomo-Delle-Nevi-Dvd/dp/B0067VHS2E/ A HORRIBLE ENEMY FROM THE UNKNOWN STRIKES TERROR ACROSS THE EARTH! In England, a group of space scientists, who have developed plans for the first Moon colony, learn that a secret, ostensibly government-run, complex of identical design has been built in a remote part of England and is the focus of periodic falls of small, hollow “meteorites” originating in outer space. “Quatermass 2” Blu-Ray – https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/quatermass-2?product_id=7058 Shout! Factory – https://www.shoutfactory.com/ Pick a Movie "Phantom of Paradise" Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Review (Scream Factory)![]() Synopsis Phantom Of The Paradise is a ground-breaking cult film favorite from acclaimed writer/director Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed To Kill). Paul Williams wrote the acclaimed score for this musical horror classic, and stars as an evil record tycoon haunted and taunted by the disfigured composer Winslow Leach (William Finley, Sisters) he once wronged. Cheered by the Los Angeles Times as a “delightful, outrageous…visual triumph,” and also starring Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Shock Treatment) and Gerrit Graham (Used Cars, Terrorvision), this hilarious send-up of the glam rock era is pure entertainment from beginning to end. Why We Love It “Brian De Palma didn’t just earn his reputation as a master of suspense because of how well he constructs sequences of killers stalking their prey, but because he works those sequences into passionate, witty, weird and pointed movies…The Shout! Factory special edition DVD/Blu-ray set is worthy of this cult favorite” — Los Angeles Times “This set is flawlessly curated with just about everything a fan like myself could ask for or want from the film... Scream Factory raises the bar yet again and delivers a definitive edition disc that is a must buy for fans of this cult gem.” — Geekadelphia “Phantom Of The Paradise has never looked or sounded better… With a captivating performance and music by Paul Williams, this visually amazing, smart and at time hysterical send up is a must see for fans of cult cinema. Phantom Of The Paradise is an over the top, stylized and tremendously entertaining film.” — Forces of Geek Bonus Features High-Definition Transfer Of The Film New Audio Commentary With Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham, Archie Hahn, Peter Elbling And Jeffrey Comanor New Interviews With Director Brian De Palma, Paul Williams And Make-Up Effects Artist Tom Burman New Interviews With Producer Edward Pressman And Drummer Gary Mallaber Paradise Regained - Documentary On The Making Of The Film Interview With Paul Williams Moderated By Guillermo Del Toro Interview With Costume Designer Rosanna Norton Alternate Takes Swan Song Outtake Footage Original Theatrical Trailer, TV And Radio Spots Still Gallery Shout! Factory – https://www.shoutfactory.com/ “Phantom of Paradise” Blu-Ray – https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/phantom-of-the-paradise-collector-s-edition?product_id=3311 Ask a Question/Answer a QuestionWhat is the best deal you ever received on a movie? Podcast Version![]() https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934? https://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/e/mrparka-s-weekly-reviews-episode-106-audio-version/ UpdateBlu-Ray 1. The Hart-Break Killer 2. Eyes of Laura Mars 3. Link 4. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea 5. Sector 7 6. The Binding 7. The Lesson 8. Carnage Park 9. Toolbox Murders 2 10. The Devil’s Dolls 11. Stung 12. #Horror 13. The House on Willow Street 14. The Hallow 15. The Axe Murders of Villisca 16. The Abandoned Film NotesThe Uncanny – 1977 – Denis Héroux
Saint Bernard – 2013 – Gabriel Bartalos White Chamber – 2018 – Paul Raschid A Record of Sweet Murder – 2014 – Kôji Shiraishi Lords of Chaos – 2018 – Jonas Åkerlund Karate Kill – 2016 – Kurando Mitsutake The House That Jack Built – 2018 – Lars von Trier Sabata – 1969 – Gianfranco Parolini The Abominable Snowman – 1957 –Val Guest Quatermass 2 – 1957 – Val Guest Phantom of Paradise – 1974 – Brian De Palma Links www.youtube.com/mrparka https://www.instagram.com/mrparka/ https://twitter.com/mrparka00 http://www.screamingtoilet.com/dvd--blu-ray https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://www.facebook.com/mrparka http://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/ https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934?mt=2 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://letterboxd.com/mrparka/ https://www.patreon.com/mrparka Time Stamps “Masked Mutilator” Review – 0:15 “Yakuza Law” Review – 6:36 Patreon Pick “Mona Lisa” Review– 12:48 Patreon Pick “Grimm Love” Review – 18:40 Patreon Pick “Blood on the Sun” Review – 25:10 Hammer Time “The Quatermass Xperiment” Review with Jeremy – 32:04 Hammer Time “X: The Unknown” Review with Jeremy – 43:22 Pick a Movie “Wake in Fright” Review – 59:40 Pick a Movie Drawing – 1:05:57 Patreon Prize Drawing – 1:06:40 Questions – 1:07:20 Answers – “What is your favorite Hammer Horror flick? “ – 1:09:10 Question of the Week– “What mash up of VS flick would you like to see? – 1:12:30 Update – 1:13:30 Video Reviews"Masked Mutilator" Blu-Ray Review (Intervision)![]() Written by MrParka Intervision releases this one of a kind, wrestling-group home-slasher in HD. “Masked Mutilator” was filmed primarily in 1994 and now has been completed, seeing the light of day for the first time ever. An ex wrestler with a violent past (Jeff Sibbach) runs a group home for troubled youth. When a new psychology major and another youth are relocated to the home, bodies begin to pile up. It’s uncertain who is responsible when everyone is a suspect. “Masked Mutilator” is directed and stars Jeff Beltzner a.k.a. Brick Bronsky, an ex-wrestler. This happens to be the film's saving grace as it lacks in certain departments; common in many low budget projects. The acting and production suffers the most, but it has made up for a lot of its shortcomings with some great fight choreography. A few top notch showdowns at the end of the film between marital artists and wrestlers alike will keep action fans satisfied. The impacts are effective and everyone can take and give bumps effectively. Again, a lot of the acting is shaky, but certain actors make up for it with screen presence. Jeff Sibbach and Brick Bronsky, although sometimes sluggish on their delivery, still bring in an intensity that is fun to watch and captures the audience's attention. As for the kills many are wrestling moves pushed too far, for example a choke hold held too long. The kills are bloody and violent, but not particularly gory as the effects are limited. The setting has been used in previous horror, but it's a welcomed slashing ground. It gives the filmmakers a chance to create some damaged characters with their own problems, setting them up as red herrings. They even manage to cram in a nympho maniac; see “Don't Look in the Basement” for an early film with some similarities. The newly filmed wraparound story that ties everything together is an ok framing device, but it leaves me wondering if the film could have been completed without. It’s inspiring to see the film completed after all these years and makes the film fan in me wonder what others shuffle in limbo, waiting to be discovered. The Intervision people have done their best with the transfer as some footage was lost so certain scenes had to be inserted from a tape master. Although the footage is a little distracting at times, it’s not a deal breaker. As for the features there are quite a few interviews with the filmmakers and actors, as well as a commentary being included. “Masked Mutilator” is another solid release from Intervision that fits with their catalogue. Plot Summary: Intervision Pictures presents MASKED MULTILATOR – Outside the Squared Circle Waits the Ultimate Ring of Hell! In 1994, a production team in Eastern Pennsylvania brought together a group of local pro wrestlers and young actors to make a horror-action film. A quarter of a century later, the movie was finally finished: After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, a professional wrestler takes a job at a group home for youth offenders. But when a psychopath wearing a wrestling mask begins butchering the teenage residents, their rehabilitation will become a no-holds-barred battle for survival. WWE and Stampede veteran Brick Bronsky (SGT. KABUKIMAN N.Y.P.D., CLASS OF NUKE ‘EM HIGH 2 & 3), Jeff Sibbach (WCW, NWA), Doug ‘Flex’ Yasinsky (ECW), James DeBello (CABIN FEVER) and F/X master Glenn Hetrick (Syfy’s FACE OFF) co-star in this sex and violence throwback to regional exploitation. Directed by Bronsky and completed from the original 16mm footage stored in the Executive Producer’s basement for the past 25 years. Special Features: - You See Me Sweatin’? - Interview with Actor Tom Taylor. - Slice the Pretty Boy - Interview with Actor/FX Artist Paul Sutt. - Scissors, Tape & Paste - Interview with Co-Writer/Co-Executive Producer Ed Polgardy. - Don’t Believe That, Folks - Interview with Co-Writer/Executive Producer Dale Schneck. - Audition Tapes. - “Mean” Gene Okerlund Interviews Tom Taylor. - Audio Commentary with Cast & Crew (Dale Schneck, Tom Taylor, Paul Sutt, Steve Mittman and Jim "The Tank" Dorsey). Severin Films – https://severin-films.com/ “Masked Mutilator” Blu-Ray – https://severin-films.com/shop/masked-mutilator-blu/ "Yakuza Law" Blu-Ray Review (Arrow Video)![]() Director Teruo Ishii (Blind Woman's Curse, Horrors of Malformed Men), the Godfather of J-sploitation, presents Yakuza Law (AKA Yakuza's Law: Lynching) - a gruelling anthology of torture, spawning three district periods of Japanese history and bringing to the screen some of the most brutal methods of torment ever devised. In this deep dive into the world of the Yakuza, meet the violent men who rule the Japanese underworld and the cruel punishments inflicted on those who transgress them. The carnage begins in the Edo Period with a violent tale of samurai vengeance starring Bunta Sugawara (Battles Without Honor and Humanity), before shifting to the Meiji Period as the exiled Ogata (Minoru Oki, Shogun Assassin) returns to face punishment for his past transgressions... and, ultimately, to take his revenge. Finally, the action is brought right up to date with a tale of gang warfare set in then-present-day 60s Japan and headlined by Teruo Yoshida (Ishii's Orgies of Edo), as a powerful crime syndicate seeks bloody vengeance for the theft of one hundred thousand yen. Brutal, bewildering and definitely not for the faint-hearted, Yakuza Law represents Japanese popular cinema at its most extreme... and most thrilling. Bonus Materials High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation Original lossless mono Japanese soundtrack Optional English subtitles New audio commentary by author and critic Jasper Sharp Erotic-Grotesque and Genre Hopping: Teruo Ishii Speaks, a rare vintage interview with the elusive director on his varied career, newly edited for this release Image gallery Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacob Phillips FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Tom Mes Arrow Video – https://www.arrowvideo.com/ “Yakuza Law” Blu-ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/yakuza-law-blu-ray Patreon Pick "Mona Lisa" Blu-Ray Review (Arrow Video)![]() Five years after The Long Good Friday, Bob Hoskins returned to the gangster genre, but his character George is a mere underling this time, a chauffeur hired by a mesmerisingly slimy gangland kingpin (Michael Caine) to transport a high-class prostitute (Cathy Tyson) from client to client. When she enlists his help in tracking down an old friend, George finds himself exploring a hellish underworld that he never imagined existed. Hoskins’ immensely complex, subtle and moving performance hoovered up almost every Best Actor award going (Cannes, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe) and remains one of his greatest roles – a man sucked by circumstance into a life of crime but still righteous enough to seize the opportunity to do good when it presents itself. Director Neil Jordan (The Company of Wolves, The Crying Game) and co-writer David Leland (Made in Britain) achieve a perfect blend of hard-edged realism and unexpected fantasy, with the regular appearance of the Nat King Cole title song turning seedy British locations (Soho, Brighton) into something far more romantically evocative. Extras: Brand new restoration sourced from the original camera negative, approved by director Neil Jordan and cinematographer Roger Pratt High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation Original uncompressed PCM mono 1.0 sound Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Audio commentary by Bob Hoskins and Neil Jordan Brand new interviews with director Neil Jordan, writer David Leland and producer Stephen Woolley Original Trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin Arrow Video UK – https://arrowfilms.com/ “Mona Lisa” Blu-Ray – https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/mona-lisa-blu-ray/FCD1109 Patreon Pick "Grimm Love" DVD Review![]() LET THE FEEDING BEGIN. In Germany, as graduate student Katie Armstrong researches cannibal killer Oliver Hagen for her thesis, she becomes obsessed with her subject and ultimately plunges into a lifestyle similar to Hagen’s and the thousands of people like him. “Grimm Love” DVD – https://www.amazon.com/Grimm-Love-Fangoria-Frightfest-Russell/dp/B003T04NCE/ Patreon Pick "Blood on the Sun" Streaming Review (Fandor)![]() HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME IN TOKYO! Nick Condon, an American journalist in 1945 Tokyo, publishes the Japanese master plan for world domination. Reaction from the understandably upset Japanese provides the action, but this is overshadowed by the propaganda of the time. “Blood on the Sun” Streaming Fandor/Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Sun-JamesCagney/dp/B016I7K4XG Hammer Time "The Quatermass Xperiment" Blu-Ray Review (Kino Lorber) and "X: The Unknown" DVD Review![]() Val Guest (The Day the Earth Caught Fire) directed this chilling film about a spacecraft returning to earth with a frightening surprise on board. Two of the ship's three astronauts have mysteriously vanished, while the third is sick with an unidentifiable illness. While doctors try to help the third man recover, an investigation takes place to figure out just what happened to his comrades. As it turns out, the survivors body has been taken over by an alien fungus that needs blood to survive. After the astronaut escapes from the hospital, he transforms into a monster, attacking everyone who gets in its way. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard detective Lomax (Jack Warner, The Blue Lamp) and Professor Bernard Quatermass (Brian Donlevy, The Glass Key), a determined scientist, attempt to track down the creature before it finds new victims. Also known as The Creeping Unknown. Blu-ray Extras Include: On-camera interview with legendary director John Carpenter The Quatermass Xperiment: From Reality to Fiction Featurette The Quatermass Xperiment: Comparing the Versions Film Critic Glenn Erickson comparing the 2 versions On-camera Val Guest interview by Hammer Films historian Marcus Hearn Audio Commentary by director Val Guest and Marcus Hearn "Trailers From Hell" with Ernest Dickerson Alternate Main Title Original Theatrical Trailer Kino Lorber – https://www.kinolorber.com/ “The Quatermass Xperiment” Blu-Ray – https://www.kinolorber.com/product/the-quatermass-xperiment-blu-ray X: The Unknown: IT RISES FROM 2000 MILES BELOW THE EARTH TO MELT EVERYTHING IN IT’S PATH! When a fissure explosively opens in an English mud flat during a military exercise there, injuring one soldier and killing another, an American research scientist at a nearby nuclear plant joins with a British investigator to discover why the victims were radioactively burned and why, shortly thereafter, a series of radiation-related incidents are occurring in an ever-growing straight line away from the fissure. “The Quatermass Xperiment” Import Australian Blu-Ray with “X: The Unknown” and “Quatermass 2” – https://www.amazon.com/Quatermass-Xperiment-Blu-Ray-NON-USA-FORMAT/dp/B00IZQQFCS/ Pick a Movie Review "Wake in Fright" Blu-Ray Review (Drafthouse Films)![]() The 40th Anniversary of a lost classic from the Outback. Alongside MAD MAX and WALKABOUT, WAKE IN FRIGHT is widely acknowledged as one of the seminal films in the development of modern Australian cinema. Directed by Ted Kotcheff (FIRST BLOOD) and starring Donald Pleasence (HALLOWEEN, THE GREAT ESCAPE), WAKE IN FRIGHT tells the nightmarish story of a schoolteacher’s (Gary Bond) descent into personal demoralization at the hands of drunken, deranged derelicts while stranded in a small town in outback Australia. Believed to be lost for decades and virtually unseen in America until now, WAKE IN FRIGHT returns fully-restored in stunning HD in what the New York Observer says “may be the greatest Australian film ever made.” “WAKE IN FRIGHT is a deeply – and I mean deeply – unsettling and disturbing movie. I saw it when it premiered at Cannes in 1971, and it left me speechless. Visually, dramatically, atmospherically and psychologically, it's beautifully calibrated and it gets under your skin one encounter at a time, right along with the protagonist played by Gary Bond. I’m excited that WAKE IN FRIGHT has been preserved and restored and that it is finally getting the exposure it deserves.” —Martin Scorsese, 2012 Drafthouse Films – https://drafthousefilms.com/ “Wake in Fright” Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Fright-Digital-Copy-Blu-ray/dp/B009YX8KN8/ Ask a Question/Answer a Question What is a film mash up or VS you would love to see? Podcast Version![]() https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934? https://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/e/mrparka-s-weekly-reviews-episode-105-audio-version/ UpdateBlu-Ray 1. Nashville Girl 2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Film NotesMasked Mutilator – 2019 – Jeff Beltzner
Yakuza Law – 1969 – Teruo Ishii Mona Lisa – 1986 – Neil Jordan Grimm Love – 2006 – Martin Weisz Blood on the Sun – 1945 – Frank Lloyd The Quatermass Xperiment – 1955 – Val Guest X: The Unknown – 1956 – Leslie Norman/Joseph Losey Wake in Fright – 1971 – Ted Kotcheff Mrparka's Video Reviews for the Week of May 11th (Episode 104)Blue Underground Contest Drawing5/5/2019 Links www.youtube.com/mrparka https://www.instagram.com/mrparka/ https://twitter.com/mrparka00 http://www.screamingtoilet.com/dvd--blu-ray https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://www.facebook.com/mrparka http://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/ https://www.facebook.com/screamingpotty/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934?mt=2 https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://letterboxd.com/mrparka/ https://www.patreon.com/mrparka Time Stamps Blue Underground Prize drawing– 0:20 “Escape From Women’s Prison” Review – 1:30 “Death Warmed Up” Review– 6:56 “Mélo” Review – 12:40 “Black Gunn/ The Take” Review – 16:19 Patreon Pick “Children of Men” Review – 27:16 Patreon Pick “Talk Radio” Review – 34:50 The VHS Voyage “The Keep” Review – 41:50 Pick a Movie Drawing – 49:19 Questions – 50:33 Answers – “Have I or another reviewer ever gotten you to buy a movie and if so did you like it?” – 53:43 Question of the Week, “What is your favorite Hammer Horror flick? “ – 58:04 Top 10 VHS Voyages and Bottom 8 – 58:13 Update – 1:05:40 Video Reviews"Escape From Women's Prison" Blu-Ray Review (Severin Films)![]() Written by MrParka Severin Films presents the exploitation flick “Escape From Women's Prison” in HD for the first and probably only time. Actor turned filmmaker, Giovanni Brusadori, directed this sleaze fest filled with illogical and deplorable characters. Quartets of violent female prisoners escape and kill two plain clothed cops in the process. The leader of the gang is part of a terrorist organization and had some outside help from her brother who has been wounded. The group quickly takes over a bus full of young tennis players and hole up in the home of a warped judge, who also becomes a hostage. Soon enough the mansion is surrounded and has become a new prison. With nowhere to turn to, the prisoners amp up their exploitation of the hostages. “Escape From Women’s Prison” is a dark and nasty movie, it would probably be a little more appalling if the entire thing weren't as poorly executed. There are attempts at genuine points of interest. Some of the attempts at social commentary come through in an argument between the communist terrorist leader and one of the students about her methods and ideology. The most shocking scene is when one of the quartet is demoted in the gang and raped by the capitalistic judge in her lowest point. Are these statements, pad time, or a reason to show more skin? Maybe all or maybe none. The Prisoners, along with the judge, seem to have the most depth to them although they never become sympathetic. At times the development of these characters becomes laughable. For instance, the overweight prisoner makes a confession to someone that she eats when she is afraid. When this character meets her end in a blaze of bullets, she crashes to the table and is faced with food. She reaches out in her dying breath, but she dies before a final comfort snack. The scene is played straight which makes the whole thing silly and enjoyable. “Escape From Women’s Prison” doesn't lack action or nudity, even if a lot of it is unpleasant. There are several rape scenes, as expected; including a lesbian rape as well. As ridiculous as the entire affair plays out, it will undoubtedly fill the void for those Italian Exploitation fanatics out there, but may not do much for any other viewers. Severin Films has remastered “Escape From Women’s Prison” to the best of their abilities with the material provided. The presentation is far from perfect, but very watchable and understandable due to the circumstances. Included on the disc is an interview with the film’s director where he goes in depth with the casting of the film and the box office. Description From legendary exploitation producer Dick Randall – whose credits include classics like THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD, THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE and PIECES – comes one of the most strangely depraved EuroSleaze sagas of the ‘70s: When four hardened female convicts escape and take a women’s tennis team hostage, they’ll force the girls into a nightmare of lesbianism, Marxism and murder. Supermodel-turned-porn-queen Lilli Carati (Joe D’Amato’s THE ALCOVE) and Zora Kerova (ANTHROPOPHAGUS, CANNIBAL FEROX) star in this politically charged filth-fest – also known as JAILBIRDS and WOMEN AGAINST WOMEN: A STORY OF SEX AND VIOLENCE – from writer/director ‘Conrad Brueghel’ (aka Italian actor Giovanni Brusadori of EMANUELLE, QUEEN OF THE DESERT), now featuring a new 4k scan of a dupe negative seized from notorious NYC distributor 21st Century Film Corp. Special Features: Le Evase: Italian cut Freedom, Sex & Violence: Interview with Director Giovanni Brusadori Trailer Severin Films – https://severin-films.com/ “Escape From Women’s Prison” Blu-Ray – https://severin-films.com/shop/escape-from-womens-prison-bluray/ "Death Warmed Up" Blu-Ray Review (Severin Films) ![]() Written by MrParka Severin films brings the New Zealand splatter cult favorite “Death Warmed Up” to Blu-ray stateside. Before Peter Jackson's Bad Taste, there was this under seen oddball filled with hospital massacres and mutations. A doctor performs an experiment on a young man, turning him into an assassin to take care of his uncooperative business partner. Unfortunately for the brainwashed assassin his targets are his parents. After dispatching them he spends several years in an asylum regaining his sanity. When our tortured protagonist is released, he decides to pay the doctor a visit, now residing on an isolated island, and his experiments have not stopped. In fact they have gotten even more extreme and now the small island is filled with mutations and weirdos. “Death Warmed Up” is an oddity for sure as well as ahead of its time, but none the less a huge mess. The acting is very patchy, excluding small roles from Bruno Lawrence and Ian Watkin who do their brief appearances to the best of their abilities. The main henchman grates on your last nerve and the lead is a selfish, destructive prick. As for the splatter, it's pretty solid with blood spurts and decent makeup. The atmosphere during a scene when the mutations attack a small cabin in a thick haze of fog is top notch, creating a certain nightmare mood. The hospital finale also packs a punch with nurses lying in puddles of blood and graphic brain surgeries galore. However, the film just never seems to come together and the last moments of the film are aggravating. The attempt at dark nihilism in something so goofy doesn’t do this film any favors. With such a wild and compelling concept it doesn't seem to have much happening. Thankfully, the movie does sport a short runtime so it doesn’t wear out its welcome. This film will satisfy gore hounds and horror fans who are interested in seeing the birth of the New Zealand splatter film, but not many more. Severin Films has really cleaned this one up, it sounds great and looks the same. Included on the disc is a new interview with David Letch who played the infamous mutant and a slew of archival interviews with the filmmakers. Description Three years before Peter Jackson’s BAD TASTE, a young New Zealand filmmaker sprayed international movie screens with brains, blood and bizarre body fluids for the first splatter movie in Kiwi history: Director David Blyth (WOUND, GHOST BRIDE) launched his genre career with this relentlessly graphic – and still-intense – story of mad doctors, nude teens, psychotic mutants, shotgun murders, power drill lobotomies, explosive action and punk attitude that AXS.com calls “weird, wonky and one hell of a ride that will have gorehounds howling!” Michael Hurst (HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS), Bruno Lawrence (THE QUIET EARTH) and Ian Watkin (DEAD ALIVE) star in this landmark gore thriller from “New Zealand’s master of transgression” (Fangoria). Special Features: BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE: Original New Zealand 4×3 VHS cut Audio Commentary with Director David Blyth and Writer Michael Heath I’ll Get You All: Interview with Actor David Letch Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Director David Blyth and Writer Michael Heath Interview Featurette with David Blyth and Michael Heath Theatrical trailer VHS trailers TV Spot Reversible Wrap Exclusive Slipcover Severin Films – https://severin-films.com/ “Death Warmed Up” Blu-Ray – https://severin-films.com/shop/death-warmed-up-bluray-slip "Mélo" Blu-Ray Review (Arrow Academy)![]() Master director Alain Resnais (Last Year At Marienbad) blurs the line between cinematic technique and theatrical artifice in his acclaimed Mélo, adapted from Henri Bernstein's classic play about a doomed love triangle in 1920s Paris. Pierre (Pierre Arditi, Love Unto Death) and Marcel (André Dussollier, A Good Marriage) are both celebrated concert violinists and lifelong friends, in spite of their differing temperaments. Pierre is modest, sensitive and content with his lot; Marcel is hungry, driven, and pursues a solo career that takes him to the four corners of the world. After years apart, the two friends reunite when Pierre invites Marcel to his home for dinner. It is then that Marcel first meets Pierre's wife Romaine (Sabine Azéma, Cosmos), sparking a passionate affair that can only end in tragedy before the curtain falls. As thrillingly intimate on film as it was on the stage, Mélo's César award-winning cast and inventive direction are highlighted in a stunning new restoration, revealing a hidden gem in Resnais' celebrated body of work waiting to be rediscovered. Bonus Materials Brand new 2K restoration of the film High Definition Blu-Ray (1080p) presentation Original 2.0 Stereo soundtrack Optional English subtitles Newly-filmed introduction by critic Jonathan Romney Archive interview with director Alain Resnais Archive interview with producer Marin Karmitz Archive interviews with actors Pierre Arditi and André Dussolier Archive interview with script supervisor Sylvette Baudrot Archive interview with set designer Jacques Saulnier Theatrical Trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Bilge Ebiri Arrow Video – https://www.arrowvideo.com/ “Mélo” Blu-Ray – https://mvdshop.com/products/melo-blu-ray "The Take/ Black Gunn" Blu-Ray Review (Mill Creek Entertainment)![]() SYNOPSIS A knock-down, drag-out, take-no-prisoners double feature - starring Billy Dee Williams and the notorious Jim Brown. THE TAKE – Meet the brother with a badge on the take who takes on the mob and wins both ways. BLACK GUNN – When the man comes up with mob violence, it's time to Gunn him down. Mill Creek Entertainment – https://www.millcreekent.com/ “Black Gunn/ The Take” Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/Black-Gunn-Take-Feature-Blu-ray/dp/B07MWQY42D Patreon Pick "Children of Men" Streaming Review (VUDU)![]() THE FUTURE'S A THING OF THE PAST. In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind. “Children of Men” Blu-Ray – https://www.amazon.com/Children-Men-Blu-ray-Clive-Owen/dp/B001YV502C/ Patreon Pick "Talk Radio" Streaming Review (VUDU)![]() THE LAST NEIGHBORHOOD IN AMERICA. A rude, contemptuous talk show host becomes overwhelmed by the hatred that surrounds his program just before it goes national. “Talk Radio” VUDU Streaming – https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Talk-Radio/5158 The VHS Voyage "The Keep" VHS Review (Paramount Home Video)![]() THEY WERE ALL DRAWN TO THE KEEP. THE SOLDIERS WHO BROUGHT DEATH. THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER FIGHTING FOR LIFE. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS FEARED IT. AND THE ONE MAN WHO KNOWS ITS SECRET… THE KEEP TONIGHT, THEY WILL ALL FACE THE EVIL. Nazis take over an ancient fortress that contains a mysterious entity that wreaks havoc and death upon them. “The Keep” VHS – https://www.amazon.com/Keep-VHS-Scott-Glenn/dp/6300214346/ Ask a Question/Answer a Question"What is your favorite Hammer Horror film? Podcast Version![]() https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/podbean-70/shut-up-brandon-podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shut-up-brandon-podcast/id988229934? https://shutupbrandon.podbean.com/e/mrparka-s-weekly-reviews-episode-104-audio-version/ Top 20 VHS Voyages/ Bottom 8All 52 Films Covered 1. Terror In the Swamp 2. The Night Brings Charlie 3. Night Life 4. Elves 5. The Rejuvenator 6. The Cellar 7. Hollow Gate 8. Attack of the Beast Creatures 9. Iced 10. The Ladies Club 11. The Loch Ness Horror 12. The Channeler 13. The Black Room 14. Terrorgram 15. The Lawless Land 16. Blood Games 17. Auntie Lee’s Meat Pies 18. The Brain 19. They Bite 20. Hollywood’s New Blood 21. Hunter’s Blood 22. Shreck 23. Home Sweet Home 24. The Prey 25. Deadline 26. Homebodies 27. Death Weekend 28. Demonwarp 29. Death Moon 30. Severed Ties 31. I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses 32. The Granny 33. Project : Metalbeast 34. Transmutations 35. The Video Murders 36. Blood Beach 37. Tales of the Unknown 38. Strays 39. High Crime 40. Open House 41. Surf 2 42. Wheels of Terror 43. Eyes of Fire 44. Tag: The Assassination Game 45. Night of the Living Babes 46. Night of the Juggler 47. Dead Girls 48. Beverly Hills Body Snatchers 49. The Jar 50. Mindkiller 51. Kamillions 52. The Keep Top 20 1. Hunter’s Blood 2. Homebodies 3. Blood Games 4. Death Weekend 5. Surf 2 6. Demonwarp 7. Attack of the Beast Creatures 8. The Brain 9. Night of the Juggler 10. Tag: The Assassination Game 11. Night Life 12. The Night Brings Charlie 13. Shreck 14. Elves 15. Eyes of Fire 16. The Rejuvenator 17. The Ladies Club 18. The Granny 19. Terrorgram 20. Deadline Bottom 8 Avoids 1. Death Moon 2. The Loch Ness Horror 3. The Jar 4. Mindkiller 5. Home Sweet Home 6. Hollywood’s New Blood 7. The Lawless Land 8. Dead Girls UpdateBlu-Ray 1. Dragged Across Concrete 2. Billy Madison 3. Tommy Boy DVDS 4. Baxter 5. Slimoids Film NotesEscape From Women’s Prison – 1978 – Giovanni Brusadori
Death Warmed Up – 1985 – David Blyth Mélo – 1986 – Alain Resnais Black Gunn – 1973 – Robert Hartford-Davis The Take – 1974 – Robert Hartford-Davis Children of Men – 2006 – Alfonso Cuarón Talk Radio – 1988 – Oliver Stone The Keep – 1983 – Michael Mann |
Archives
December 2020
|