tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36603988689264676862024-03-17T21:29:38.525-04:00Unpopped CinemaDennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-58024435920979510192024-02-27T17:23:00.006-05:002024-02-27T18:08:24.932-05:00JAILHOUSE WARDRESS - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiTazKDTNtHkJ7ZHSmnGFkSdvmIwY1WZTHm5sU0GzaPJgbR-LjoCMZKoxRSZd6twn92DNvgcNvdhlQrnyu2cmDqC4QCrTP808rEVXWyItcLl2QL6QFcgN2usEcB6ghEp5vxC0-0-AWT3qsBcOevCN9yL8DypKjoIvXaOTFLUhw2x34aV7Uh8d1z_RLw4/s2226/1.%20Monica%20Swinn.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="2226" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiTazKDTNtHkJ7ZHSmnGFkSdvmIwY1WZTHm5sU0GzaPJgbR-LjoCMZKoxRSZd6twn92DNvgcNvdhlQrnyu2cmDqC4QCrTP808rEVXWyItcLl2QL6QFcgN2usEcB6ghEp5vxC0-0-AWT3qsBcOevCN9yL8DypKjoIvXaOTFLUhw2x34aV7Uh8d1z_RLw4/w400-h281/1.%20Monica%20Swinn.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">If we’re to believe the phony Anglicized credits, <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS</b> (1979) is just another routine women-in-prison film, but seldom have distributors sought so earnestly to camouflage a film’s true origins and pass it off as an entirely new picture like the lovable hucksters at Eurociné. Perhaps best known on these shores for producing several Jess Franco films such as <b>FEMALE VAMPIRE </b>(a.k.a. <b>EROTIKILL</b>, 1973), this Paris-based distribution outfit and production company has also become synonymous with a number of hastily cobbled-together films, of which <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS</b> is probably their most infamous. Following the success of Jess Franco’s far superior WIP film <b>BARBED WIRE DOLLS</b> (1975), which Eurociné distributed and owed the rights to in France, they decided to offer their very own contribution to the genre. But rather than take the time and trouble to shoot an all-new film, Eurociné instead ransacked Franco’s picture, stretching out miles of ‘previously viewed’ footage with a handful of ‘all-new’ insert scenes overseen by in-house director Alain Deruelle, which they probably threw together over a single long weekend. It shows. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cjNalRandCpT-rMmDv3GjVzR7roa_U2WxCtt0qRDnk8DwB1Dr1EyUMzQ6obhgsKOZyn24IhAk7DKJc7dnrMNIqdZNQ-62VdEb9nr9-aRHCGJYNcAoozjpJLUel-oiDtSaFulvS_WiflZQxxjhjW2YZYFT6gDMHW8gu4Jim-aJb98QDs0ZYbFVhth8H4/s2228/2.%20Roger%20Darton.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="2228" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cjNalRandCpT-rMmDv3GjVzR7roa_U2WxCtt0qRDnk8DwB1Dr1EyUMzQ6obhgsKOZyn24IhAk7DKJc7dnrMNIqdZNQ-62VdEb9nr9-aRHCGJYNcAoozjpJLUel-oiDtSaFulvS_WiflZQxxjhjW2YZYFT6gDMHW8gu4Jim-aJb98QDs0ZYbFVhth8H4/w400-h281/2.%20Roger%20Darton.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Essentially a re-hash of <b>BWD</b>, <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS</b> is a jumbled, schizo mix of mismatched scenes, a conflicting mix of characters, and paltry budget. Care of re-dubbed footage taken from Alain Payet’s <b>SPECIAL TRAIN FOR HITLER</b> (a.k.a. <b>HELLTRAIN</b>, 1977), a twitchy SS Colonel (Roger Darton) is forming a plan to eliminate “traitors and defeatists” from the Third Reich during the waning days of WWII, and upon Hitler’s own recommendation, Fraulein Elsa Ackermann (Monica Swinn) is ordered to run the operation. Next, we’re in a cramped apartment in modern day France, which possibly doubles as a Mossad safehouse (we know this because there is a large Israeli flag in the living room) where Jewish secret agents discuss the “red Heidelberg file”, which details the ongoing search to find and kill the SS Colonel from the opening who killed “thousands of Jews in concentration camps.” It develops that this Colonel has fled to South America with Elsa (“<i>You know the story...</i>”), where they are now running a local prison, which sets the stage for the rest of the film. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1IC8NOmebstmY7VAzknC0zVcNUsZlAlqpwuAqlqH39dQCDRI8pBKE6XHyUBfPo2TlvRxUfscM6icrRVasUggdaBMitTLdd5_4ktUGVnOGEACe5OeLtomzTAychuoJH3oSvFztXMfkTGYLEXPHFr0rEb3hlNLG3oqeucB7DjCcUEWd_Dk192HeYRYljM/s2232/3.%20Lina%20Romay.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="2232" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1IC8NOmebstmY7VAzknC0zVcNUsZlAlqpwuAqlqH39dQCDRI8pBKE6XHyUBfPo2TlvRxUfscM6icrRVasUggdaBMitTLdd5_4ktUGVnOGEACe5OeLtomzTAychuoJH3oSvFztXMfkTGYLEXPHFr0rEb3hlNLG3oqeucB7DjCcUEWd_Dk192HeYRYljM/w400-h281/3.%20Lina%20Romay.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Virtually the entirety of <b>BARBED WIRE DOLLS</b> (minus most of its sexually explicit material) seems to have been recycled here, albeit with its continuity drastically rearranged. Adding to the confusion, newly-shot footage with Eurociné regulars Nadine Pascal and Pamela Stanford as a pair of jovial prisoners clashes severely with Franco’s original downbeat scenario, and does nothing to propel the story forward; they merely lounge around the prison in constant states of partial or total undress discussing nothing in particular, and despite utilizing large portions of <b>BWD</b>, much of that film’s dreary - and highly potent – atmosphere is completely eliminated here. More in line with some of Eurocine’s other piecemeal films such as <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/04/house-of-cruel-dolls-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HOUSE OF CRUEL DOLLS</span></a></b> (1974) or <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/07/oasis-of-lost-girls-dvd-review_22.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">OASIS OF THE LOST GIRLS</span></a> (1981), few of the disjointed storylines and newly-shot scenes ever properly gel, while disconnected pages of seemingly unrelated scripts seem to have been cut together using third-hand gaffer’s tape. When Nestor (Didier Aubriot, who poorly replaces the always watchable Eric Falk from the original) has his way with the prisoners, the film resorts to some flaccid attempts to instill some excitement, but much of the potentially offending scenes come across as laughable (“<i>Close</i> <i>your eyes! There’s nothing to it!</i>” remarks one of the girls.), which is made doubly ineffective by Daniel J. White’s crudely inserted and wholly inappropriate jazzy interludes; and it’s also hard not to notice the black-painted balsa wood doubling for solid iron bars! Following various prison subplots and backstories (including Lina Romay’s and Jess Franco’s infamous slow-motion death scene from <b>BWD</b>), our Jewish operative from the beginning finally reasserts his omnipotence with a bonus minute of action…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-mxO8bT1LZoTZS9OJ5E4kbThoeYs23aDS26J04MaUkEh5Mf-WXnhyphenhyphenVTujeoNr3NJgsrZe0OhkXT5mbvGKRT1N94IwPaDh29STP9E3x-iSw9i-h_cFULl-SywoABP3fSSDnUj5WuvaKULRWeR85uPeGlk9ckRI86kLO6bYT_tybCYdapBi2xe2RVhaB8/s2226/4.%20Nadine%20Pascal%20&%20Pamela%20Stanford.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="2226" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-mxO8bT1LZoTZS9OJ5E4kbThoeYs23aDS26J04MaUkEh5Mf-WXnhyphenhyphenVTujeoNr3NJgsrZe0OhkXT5mbvGKRT1N94IwPaDh29STP9E3x-iSw9i-h_cFULl-SywoABP3fSSDnUj5WuvaKULRWeR85uPeGlk9ckRI86kLO6bYT_tybCYdapBi2xe2RVhaB8/w400-h281/4.%20Nadine%20Pascal%20&%20Pamela%20Stanford.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite its lowly pedigree, <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS</b> has seen more than a few releases during the digital era, beginning with Videofilm Express’ <b>NAZI FILM COLLECTION</b>, a 6-disc box set from 2010, which saw it issued alongside several other Eurociné Nazi-themed war films. This Dutch Region 2 PAL DVD was touted as a 16x9 release, but was weirdly stretched to accommodate a 1:85 image, so in order to watch the film in its intended 1.66:1 framing, viewers had to manually adjust their aspect ratio settings on their DVD player. The film was in English and included optional Dutch subtitles. In 2017, UK based label Maison Rouge released a slightly improved transfer of the film (albeit now weirdly in a 1.40 widescreen format) with marginally better colour timing, but for most casual viewers, the film’s differing film stocks and poorly recycled footage will make for a frustrating viewing experience. Earlier this year, thanks to MVD Classics and their continuing relationship with Eurociné, <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS </b>made its worldwide Blu-ray debut, and much like Maison Rouge’s UK disc, this is virtually the same transfer with a very minor uptick in quality thanks to the higher bitrate, but this still remains a poorly prepared transfer, which is littered with surface scratches and fluctuating contrast that lacks any real detail. As an interesting side note, the prominent swastika which adorned Maison Rouge’s DVD art is conspicuously missing from MVD Classics’ otherwise identical BD cover image, which in this day and age, is not surprising. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpZtSXDc-pIXH7RW2icowP3ZE46Psdj3s8O8SZW7D0M-0ZFCQURwW4qctXyXnsy-qNKZBwugR7_6qbbEbylojy31v2zAQv55J__egKLG24KlsMb9bmI5bgG3I_lZPR7oiBX7EGV_k6KyZt-Ussz9AsNfPFpT1_T-HmNXWUze3JAUFjex8_CECVf6JoPg/s2228/5.%20Escape.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="2228" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpZtSXDc-pIXH7RW2icowP3ZE46Psdj3s8O8SZW7D0M-0ZFCQURwW4qctXyXnsy-qNKZBwugR7_6qbbEbylojy31v2zAQv55J__egKLG24KlsMb9bmI5bgG3I_lZPR7oiBX7EGV_k6KyZt-Ussz9AsNfPFpT1_T-HmNXWUze3JAUFjex8_CECVf6JoPg/w400-h281/5.%20Escape.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are no extras to speak of, other than a few newly-constructed trailers for some of MVD Classics’ other Eurociné product, which for the record include Pierre Chevalier’s <b>CONVOY OF WOMEN</b> (1m03s, 1974), Jess Franco’s <b>GOLDEN TEMPLE AMAZONS</b> (1m50s, 1984), Amando De Ossorio’s Canadian-set western <b>HUDSON RIVER MASSACRE</b> (1m30s, 1965), and Alain Payet’s <b>NATHALIE ESCAPE FROM HELL</b> (1m13s, 1978). </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although still of interest to the more fetishistic Jess Franco fan or indiscriminate Eurotrash completists, <b>JAILHOUSE WARDRESS</b> has the arguable distinction of being one of the poorest films in the entire Eurociné catalogue! And that’s really saying something! </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-52036560377637514222024-01-24T09:32:00.000-05:002024-01-24T09:32:38.195-05:00RAT MAN - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibigL2FdQFdThPPrda3L7JS1cUgpdlpnoc6jOomSbTvT2Rn_NkCc_uTch696zXsprJ4FM0l6tZCPDa5bcfCK692w-9zbJcrMPvTEkhrCMFdiGlZSs5KnErzUvOWa0nno_sSYyAPV1jfK2XxHIZBZFG6Cf08zUlfxNfcSPFDcuTB9k-iXU8eHbI75kUNKo/s2642/1.%20Nelson%20De%20La%20Rosa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2642" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibigL2FdQFdThPPrda3L7JS1cUgpdlpnoc6jOomSbTvT2Rn_NkCc_uTch696zXsprJ4FM0l6tZCPDa5bcfCK692w-9zbJcrMPvTEkhrCMFdiGlZSs5KnErzUvOWa0nno_sSYyAPV1jfK2XxHIZBZFG6Cf08zUlfxNfcSPFDcuTB9k-iXU8eHbI75kUNKo/w400-h239/1.%20Nelson%20De%20La%20Rosa.png" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Crawling from the trashiest depths of the Italian film industry, Giuliano Carnimeo’s <b>RAT MAN</b> (1988) was an attempt by producer Fabrizio De Angelis, and his prolific production company Fulvia Film, to further extend the waning popularity of the Italian horror film. As per the film’s opening narration, the Rat Man was “developed by introducing the sperm of a rat into the ovum of a monkey”, and the resulting hybrid, which even carries a “potent poison” in its teeth and under its nails, wouldn’t seem out of place if it was accompanied by a showman’s pitch or some Carny-style hyperbole. Lurking behind some unnervingly long incisors and enlarged clawed hands, Carnimeo’s film is noteworthy for the sheer lowbrow audacity of casting the late Nelson De La Rosa (1968 – 2006) as the title monster. Measuring a mere 71cm (that’s 2’4” for you yanks) in height, De La Rosa was an inexplicably tiny actor who would later gain a measure of fame when he appeared alongside Marlon Brando in the unmitigated Richard Stanley / John Frankenheimer disaster that was <b>THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU</b> (1996). Filmed entirely in the Dominican Republic from an original story by Dardano Sacchetti (using his usual <i>nom de plume</i> David Parker Jr.), this largely forgotten horror film was resurrected via Cauldron Films’ lavish BD (its first official North American home video release), which finally shows the film on its very best behaviour. </span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbnCVLycjlNSpTkCcJsIWya_SmQjDp_CYo-05qD4bZPJuwe8a65wk4fPo5iptVXMUtVpRDpPxYOb0zY5Kbbseh2SFzeYmu9DHzHa6DGFu7325ugsBqbZ2XeA9hzxj1-nT2w6e1GkESaLs7VFzkn6CLmk5ooO5tMHgTwZKjI8HlTHR7pqTPsoxuu1sNXM/s2636/2.%20David%20Warbeck%20&%20Janet%20Agren.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2636" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbnCVLycjlNSpTkCcJsIWya_SmQjDp_CYo-05qD4bZPJuwe8a65wk4fPo5iptVXMUtVpRDpPxYOb0zY5Kbbseh2SFzeYmu9DHzHa6DGFu7325ugsBqbZ2XeA9hzxj1-nT2w6e1GkESaLs7VFzkn6CLmk5ooO5tMHgTwZKjI8HlTHR7pqTPsoxuu1sNXM/w400-h239/2.%20David%20Warbeck%20&%20Janet%20Agren.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr. Olman (Pepito Guerra), an apparently renowned molecular biologist who works in one of filthiest laboratories imaginable, is hoping to present his Rat Man hybridization (whom he refers to as ‘Mousey’) at the next genetics congress, but before he can do so, the aforementioned title creature escapes. When a mutilated body is found during a beachside photo shoot, Marilyn (Eva Grimaldi), Peggy (Luisa Menon) and their photographer Mark (Werner Pochath), who treats everyone with undisguised scorn (“</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The only thing that he’s got that clicks with me is a shutter!</i>”), decide not to report it because Mark doesn’t “want to be interrogated.” Later that night, Peggy is clawed to death following a lengthy confrontation with a knife-wielding local, a sequence which has more in common with any number of <i>gialli</i> than your typical monster film. When Peggy’s sister Terry (Janet Agren) comes looking for her in this tropical paradise, she is quickly befriended by mystery novelist Fred Williams (David Warbeck), when they inadvertently share a taxi. Despite her initial icy aloofness towards him, the two of them eventually team up and try to find her missing sister as the Rat Man continues to scurry about sinking his teeth into the local populace…</span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6asRtxHN5wiGcDxQ-3tKuVnjyIGyYoT2f7q0j8efqYVUCXkNCApg6g25niy8Y0XwZnEhIXYJ-kY_Vw2JAsY4TJlefcYiv6ckohp-Z3PCpOMKhnlwtsTaUO3OuxbqscxcLJx07jAR-t0L5U6NFWYKoQUsFODk3m_2L__78KITFLd508yt7Mrz30Gs84A/s2634/3.%20Rat%20Man.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2634" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6asRtxHN5wiGcDxQ-3tKuVnjyIGyYoT2f7q0j8efqYVUCXkNCApg6g25niy8Y0XwZnEhIXYJ-kY_Vw2JAsY4TJlefcYiv6ckohp-Z3PCpOMKhnlwtsTaUO3OuxbqscxcLJx07jAR-t0L5U6NFWYKoQUsFODk3m_2L__78KITFLd508yt7Mrz30Gs84A/w400-h239/3.%20Rat%20Man.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Beginning with an introductory voiceover from Dr. Olman, the script attempts to make some unsubtle allusions to H.G. Wells’ classic novel <u>The Island of Dr. Moreau</u>, and while <b>RAT MAN</b> does reveal some similar themes about humanity’s curious nature, Carnimeo’s film moves <i>several </i>notches below Wells’ text without even a hint of the ethical and philosophical concerns depicted in the book. It’s this seeming laziness and general indifference to the material that ultimately hampers the film, which could have benefitted from a little more creative energy into the fantastical components of the story. At one point, Warbeck’s character Fred Williams casually remarks that as a writer, he is “short on inspiration”, which is perhaps Sacchetti’s own self-referential dig at his one-note script. In an interesting side note, one of the disc’s extra features has veteran director Alberto De Martino discussing his brief involvement with the film as a post-production consultant wherein he points out the “fundamental mistake” of the story’s premise and its non-threatening monster, which you could simply “squish” under your feet. So, at his insistence, it was decided to add the fatal poison to the monster’s genetic make-up, to try and help produce a more sensible scenario. Despite this much-needed tinkering, it still seems, along with the cast and crew, plot and characterization all wandered off to enjoy the pretty tropical scenery, but it’s always fun watching David Warbeck do his earnest if bored-looking best while trying to make sense of things. As the body count begins to rack-up, <b>RAT MAN</b> still musters enough odd touches (e.g., mousey crawling out of a filthy toilet or eerily climbing up a wall) and bursts of energy, including a well-choreographed finale between a frequently-nude Eva Grimaldi and our titular varmint, and is this respect, you can’t help but radiate a modicum of fondness for the entire endeavour. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6giBzV5YRiuxltGaCxevGncVv3OicYRboLJCTQ29YBmN6hgGdEimGDlyDdTZ6hxIkl8SnsPvooRpulUSyieiWAXfgiCe5UCcWCnFg3XT0TdDfbFNapcbklRhpjRPfHRgtevtUJCauRU2ggr-o6zZkFE9ex8QRSFCstmc2tSI4l5inVfTtGnFKJUqRH4/s2632/4.%20Rat%20Man%20attacks!.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="2632" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6giBzV5YRiuxltGaCxevGncVv3OicYRboLJCTQ29YBmN6hgGdEimGDlyDdTZ6hxIkl8SnsPvooRpulUSyieiWAXfgiCe5UCcWCnFg3XT0TdDfbFNapcbklRhpjRPfHRgtevtUJCauRU2ggr-o6zZkFE9ex8QRSFCstmc2tSI4l5inVfTtGnFKJUqRH4/w400-h239/4.%20Rat%20Man%20attacks!.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Never officially released on North American home video, <b>RAT MAN</b> did appear on some video store shelves in the US and Canada via Caribbeam ABC Video (titled <b>THE RAT MAN</b> on the vid box), a dubious Puerto Rican VHS videocassette, which was overly dark and didn’t do the film any favours whatsoever. In 2008, UK-based label Shameless Screen Entertainment unveiled the film’s first DVD release, but it was compiled from a number of sketchy source materials, which were murky, lacked depth, and bordered on unwatchable. Fortunately, it now looks better than ever thanks to Cauldron Films’ new Blu-ray, which features a brand new “4K restoration from the negative” that finally preserves the film’s colour integrity along with tons of previously-obscured details, and while it still lacks the stylish verve of Carnimeo’s earlier Sartana spaghetti westerns, this nicely-detailed HD presentation benefits the film greatly. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono audio is likewise a massive improvement, which is freed of the hiss and VHS-sourced buzz of Shameless’ DVD; it all sounds remarkably good.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW5RYGNP8JqJycK7c8E6B52_53YH_eJnQkSPu7gGmtb9-7Trj1FDul0Zb14iPohDi11hOQgHtaH6l-DSfxk79RHDwv6ZCvRXLMWrk6HK7cNYuB0QrOjBYfF-LstqUrrDXccBr2-MbfJOAgs9PTIpfO3MtOBvCnXmZ_bJ5wXHKv3dYnuBC6naCNRBgFcs/s2640/5.%20Eva%20Grimaldi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2640" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW5RYGNP8JqJycK7c8E6B52_53YH_eJnQkSPu7gGmtb9-7Trj1FDul0Zb14iPohDi11hOQgHtaH6l-DSfxk79RHDwv6ZCvRXLMWrk6HK7cNYuB0QrOjBYfF-LstqUrrDXccBr2-MbfJOAgs9PTIpfO3MtOBvCnXmZ_bJ5wXHKv3dYnuBC6naCNRBgFcs/w400-h239/5.%20Eva%20Grimaldi.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While the film hasn’t lost any of its morbid fascination over the last few decades, Cauldron Films have included a wealth of interesting extra features to try and put everything in perspective beginning with a lively audio commentary from Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson, and authors Troy Howarth and Eugenio Ercolani. In it, they discuss a wide variety of topics in regards to this “interesting installment of Italian horror” including De La Rosa’s “pop culture lineage” and his great screen presence, independent exploitation mogul Fabrizio De Angelis and how he created a “safe haven” for many aging directors in their twilight years, Mainetti’s “fun electronic score”, a ton of background info on director Carnimeo and DP Roberto Girometti, the simplistic nature of these latter-day genre films, the film’s striking – and very misleading – poster art, the many English voice talent actors, and a very funny quote from director Sergio Martino regarding the inordinate amount of shower scenes in Italian trash films! As usual, the three of them work very well-together discussing the film with equal parts affection and nostalgia (and occasional laughter!) in this thorough and well-researched listen. Good stuff!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0sClc2QSPzk-CkXipYnoeRwQSYk_B0LMavvwt3OV6-nPsJE8uCa5FiKNIUZQZ3n_Q9Jqn-Q0xhW4bRtKdXHl9M1GZAKPkdb92ZNZ9azREfqXHy1InqAIHwGVNFtbEE5dU72pbF6-S4qlhQGx0T7fZerxO8Ps04KS9eB0u_th-EfjzP65I-LBlJ40W3w/s2636/6%20Terrorized.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="2636" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0sClc2QSPzk-CkXipYnoeRwQSYk_B0LMavvwt3OV6-nPsJE8uCa5FiKNIUZQZ3n_Q9Jqn-Q0xhW4bRtKdXHl9M1GZAKPkdb92ZNZ9azREfqXHy1InqAIHwGVNFtbEE5dU72pbF6-S4qlhQGx0T7fZerxO8Ps04KS9eB0u_th-EfjzP65I-LBlJ40W3w/w400-h239/6%20Terrorized.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Other, no less significant extras include a trio of featurettes from Eugenio Ercolani, which begin with <b>Lighting the Rat Man</b> (16m24s), an on-camera interview with Roberto Girometti wherein he discusses his early career as a camera operator, his brief working relationship with Roberto Rossellini who “embodied the magic of cinema”, and of course, his time working on <b>RAT MAN</b> alongside director Carnimeo and producer De Angelis who was a “bossy” personality and frequently referred to as “The Cobra.” In <b>Framing the Rat Man</b> (17m21s), long-time camera operator and DP Federico Del Zoppo is interviewed and talks about the technical side of his work, but he also indulges in a ton of anecdotes from his time in the Italian film industry, his work on <b>RAT MAN</b>, and his relationship with producer De Angelis working on other horror films such as <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/11/killer-crocodile-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">KILLER CROCODILE</span></a></b> (1989). Lastly, in the aforementioned <b>Just a Fin</b> (6m34s), an audio interview with director Alberto De Martino, he casually chats about his time working with Fulvia Film “supervising pictures” such as <b>RAT MAN</b>, his dislike of the horror genre, the difficulty of working with Michael Moriarty on <b>BLOODLINK</b> (1982), and his total dislike of <b>MIAMI GOLEM</b> (a.k.a. <b>MIAMI HORROR</b>, 1985), which he has since disowned. The film’s energetic theatrical trailer (“<i>The body was chewed by rats!</i>”, 2m08s) is also included. The initial 2-disc limited edition pressing also included Stefano Mainetti’s entire score on a separate CD (19 tracks, 36m24s), a double-sided poster, and a nicely-illustrated slipcase with artwork by Justin Coffee, and as of this writing, it’s still available from the Cauldron Films website. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">All-in-all <b>RAT MAN</b> falls short of being an Italian horror film classic, but despite its flaws, it’s unusual enough and remains consistently watchable, especially via Cauldron Films’ outstanding Blu-ray. Order it from <a href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/front-page-titles/products/rat-man-limited-blu-ray-cd-set-w-slipcase" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cauldron Films</span></a> or <a href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/ratman-cauldron-films-le-slipcase-cd-blu-ray-all-region-preorder/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: xx-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-91195092047516529942023-12-29T08:48:00.002-05:002023-12-29T17:07:52.438-05:00UNPOPPED CINEMA’S TOP 25 BEST DISCS OF 2023<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA-3TvXrrVkrVcTB5gXxObEwzeTpYOrTe_UuOqxb9bCihy6rc16cWokeFZgUqoLRuR3_IbhdDUKOrh0SE4uwrFGJXOV89dqofKR_ElQjG6-EUCtbR4qDeY7thmmXZPyfVqWA93t9J47_ckU5jW0I7oVNRBuvPVtFLETRz9E4kagpqu847GPH8JpuEi1E/s1458/Title%20Card%20Final.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1458" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA-3TvXrrVkrVcTB5gXxObEwzeTpYOrTe_UuOqxb9bCihy6rc16cWokeFZgUqoLRuR3_IbhdDUKOrh0SE4uwrFGJXOV89dqofKR_ElQjG6-EUCtbR4qDeY7thmmXZPyfVqWA93t9J47_ckU5jW0I7oVNRBuvPVtFLETRz9E4kagpqu847GPH8JpuEi1E/w400-h304/Title%20Card%20Final.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This was another fantastic year for physical media releases, but it was an exceptionally strong year for box sets. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Arrow Video, Imprint Films, Indicator, Mondo Macabro, Radiance Films, Severin Films and Vinegar Syndrome, several staggering collections flooded the market with the kind of unprecedented care that is truly astonishing as seen by Severin’s <b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE</b>, a massive 24-film, 15-disc collection that remains one of the finest curations ever conceived for the home video market. Once again, it’s the boutique labels who are working overtime to release as many heretofore ignored, unseen and/or highly-requested films onto disc, which include skilled transfers, judicious extras, and eye-popping packaging. So, without further delay, let’s take a look at some of my favourite discs of 2023!</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfLd3IWqU6CL06jBUri8lOr51CwdZreX7Noap4VHBC51o41Es7F6k_x-54dQ5q7e6PUd_TpClplsjjSuUFvjQNGHHNtL0pRaBe4gUYj-cRvcq8j0zp-4NDOBbVuFvqKVdoFRdoZT92I9D4MeFyaWNkJblKbMu8xWgjfEjBOFZZ2MOsZ3hLd4X4QNUWEc/s2092/The%20Abomination%202.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2092" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfLd3IWqU6CL06jBUri8lOr51CwdZreX7Noap4VHBC51o41Es7F6k_x-54dQ5q7e6PUd_TpClplsjjSuUFvjQNGHHNtL0pRaBe4gUYj-cRvcq8j0zp-4NDOBbVuFvqKVdoFRdoZT92I9D4MeFyaWNkJblKbMu8xWgjfEjBOFZZ2MOsZ3hLd4X4QNUWEc/w400-h303/The%20Abomination%202.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE ABOMINATION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1986] (Visual Vengeance) – Unfolding in a bizarre, surreal world unto itself with some odd biblical allusions (“<i>The plague will be upon you very soon!</i>”) and tons of mind-melting gore, this exemplary DIY effort from Texan indie filmmaker Bret McCormick has been languishing in the VHS graveyard for far too long. Over the years, <b>THE ABOMINATION </b>has become a triumph of the low-budget aesthetic among die-hard tape collectors, so Visual Vengeance has spared no expense to deliver this one-of-a-kind monster film to disc, which includes a pair of commentaries (including one with director McCormick and fellow Texan filmmaker Glen Coburn), a making-of documentary, several interviews with the cast and crew, deleted scenes, and plenty more besides! This is an outstanding disc and ranks as one of the best releases in VV’s ever-expanding catalogue!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgkDD1LTfwPlqIyDmqXMOMeXN-Xt9BeQhYEeU8ArsBJ9zHmKenLje1hjDztTintSATOlpQQiFMrlJkvj-XrG-3S1zKkA9f6jlT7rbm0e49cjC8IxfUKzqOirLO8diUpnLi4pSo84_SywK8tHuaweYFLNcgbEcQQsRYgFCjQxRT3kJveUEqVs8Qb_y-vc/s2818/After%20Hours.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="2818" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgkDD1LTfwPlqIyDmqXMOMeXN-Xt9BeQhYEeU8ArsBJ9zHmKenLje1hjDztTintSATOlpQQiFMrlJkvj-XrG-3S1zKkA9f6jlT7rbm0e49cjC8IxfUKzqOirLO8diUpnLi4pSo84_SywK8tHuaweYFLNcgbEcQQsRYgFCjQxRT3kJveUEqVs8Qb_y-vc/w400-h216/After%20Hours.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>AFTER HOURS</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1985] (Criterion Collection) – Martin Scorsese’s much-treasured and deeply dark comedy finally gets its very deserved UHD/BD release, which looks spectacular here, and is well-supported by several new and archival extra features, which only strengthen this vibrant bit of filmmaking. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">BLOOD AND BLACK LACE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1964] (Arrow Video) – Flawlessly restored in 4K, Mario Bava’s incredible <i>giallo</i> has never looked better than it does here on this exceptionally well-packaged UHD, which also comes stacked with a wide array of extra features. Absolutely essential! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">BOLLYWOOD HORROR COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1984 – 2006] (Mondo Macabro) – MM’s long out-of-print Bollywood Horror Collection DVDs, which spanned three volumes and featured the work of pioneering horror specialists Shyam and Tulsi Ramsay, have been expertly updated for this impressive box set with “new 2K restorations from the original negatives.” Benefitting greatly from the uptick in quality, this set also includes cast and crew interviews, trailers, and a superb 80-page book with writing on the films from Bollywood expert Tim Paxton. It’s worth noting that <b>MAHAKAAL </b>(1993), the Ramsay’s take on Wes Craven’s <b>A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET</b> (1984), which was included in MM’s original third volume DVD, now resides with Massacre Video, and is therefore not included in this collection. However, MM have instead added the Ramsay’s “last horror film to date” <b>THE GHOST</b> (2006), which only sweetens this already superb collection that everyone into worldweird cinema should own!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyxoAfBpiM74ObGvNVHFlKPfoJVrEteQ5gGU8kZMOVrDCLUGVdbNUXXSvfLgYf3Ex7RXq20_FHrcBBfFG7UAkm3FhCgjmgs-K4TEYNkBJ8aUMVnyE_6oL4Mc2GexRvKgg0gAXrt3S54n6lT1zlmvY-SvcP2taNyb6eY0Xg0C8UZO3Wv8I2QuPpCk3GIE/s1694/Cosa%20Nostra.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1694" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyxoAfBpiM74ObGvNVHFlKPfoJVrEteQ5gGU8kZMOVrDCLUGVdbNUXXSvfLgYf3Ex7RXq20_FHrcBBfFG7UAkm3FhCgjmgs-K4TEYNkBJ8aUMVnyE_6oL4Mc2GexRvKgg0gAXrt3S54n6lT1zlmvY-SvcP2taNyb6eY0Xg0C8UZO3Wv8I2QuPpCk3GIE/w400-h216/Cosa%20Nostra.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>COSA NOSTRA: FRANCO NERO IN THREE MAFIA TALES BY DAMIANO DAMIANI</b></span><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1968 – 1975] (Radiance Films) – Brimming with cheek-kissing and close-ups of suspicious faces, this trio of way-above-average collaborations between Franco Nero and director Damiano Damiani have been in dire need of proper English-friendly HD presentations for years, whose reputations are likely to be enhanced with Radiance’s new Blu-ray collection. Although each film demonstrates an astute use of the commercial genre, rather than non-stop visceral action, these socio-politically aware dramas, which for the record, include <b>THE DAY OF THE OWL</b> (a.k.a. <b>MAFIA</b>, 1968), <b>THE CASE IS CLOSED, FORGET IT </b>(1971) and <b>HOW TO KILL A JUDGE</b> (1975), are all reliant on tight pacing, careful dialogue and strong performances from Franco Nero, Claudia Cardinale, Riccardo Cucciolla, Lee J. Cobb, and many others. Supplemented by a wide variety of informative extras including audio commentaries, revealing video essays, several new and archival interviews, and a 120-page perfect-bound book, Radiance have finally afforded these previously under-seen films the respect they deserve. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE CRIMINAL ACTS OF TOD SLAUGHTER: EIGHT BLOOD-AND-THUNDER ENTERTAINMENTS, 1935-1940</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Indicator) – Having first encountered the films of Tod Slaughter via Johnny Legend’s third volume in his popular Saturday Night Shockers VHS collections, (pairing <b>MURDER IN THE RED BARN</b> [1935] and <b>THE FACE AT THE WINDOW</b> [1939]), this murky-looking videocassette left a lot to be desired, but Slaughter’s scenery-chewing presence still managed to burst forth from the screen with an incredible energy that was completely unforgettable. Born Norman Carter Slaughter, this former theater actor carved a niche for himself as the preeminent star of early British horror cinema, whose films and career are well-represented in this magnificent collection, which brings together eight of his most popular films. It goes without saying that Indicator’s new “4K scans of the original nitrate negatives” are an incredible feat of restoration which look absolutely stellar, and are given the deluxe treatment herein with a shocking number of extra features (including a 120-page book!), which makes this an essential purchase for either the enthusiastic fan or anyone else curious about this memorable, one-of-a-kind thespian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FyheqYVmPzYzkU8EVURoMSl-cnhcJ5Q9GSgIqkSMF0MhemeeW_wL_hJwWFdC7UaqmouMqKvmM3jrRxh2gRVVEpnGT8SHy2_lvcoF-Mr_W-nuUvJKNAjUyFDNfRvj2XV27uNMuISHIg9raXpRSAx8IbpEjD2_S_xIFovw6Bmdo-B8YNJIFuNydbAf_A4/s2116/The%20Curse%20of%20the%20Screaming%20Dead.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2116" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FyheqYVmPzYzkU8EVURoMSl-cnhcJ5Q9GSgIqkSMF0MhemeeW_wL_hJwWFdC7UaqmouMqKvmM3jrRxh2gRVVEpnGT8SHy2_lvcoF-Mr_W-nuUvJKNAjUyFDNfRvj2XV27uNMuISHIg9raXpRSAx8IbpEjD2_S_xIFovw6Bmdo-B8YNJIFuNydbAf_A4/w400-h299/The%20Curse%20of%20the%20Screaming%20Dead.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE CURSE OF THE SCREAMING DEAD</b> </span><span lang="EN-US">[1982] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Previously released on DVD in a compromised re-edited edition by Troma as <b>CURSE OF THE CANNIBAL CONFEDERATES</b>, this regional zombie shocker from director Tony Malanowski is definitely not for everyone with its somnambulistic pacing, amateur acting, and uneven photography, but it also has a low-budget charm that is undeniable. Newly “scanned & restored in 2K from the original 16mm camera reversal”, this film will always have a rough-hewn appearance, but VS have done wonders with this new restoration, which is further bolstered by several extra features. Spread over 2-discs, disc one includes the feature film (in its original version) along with <b>NIGHT OF HORROR</b> (1981), Malanowski’s earlier and far more anemic original version, both of which include revealing commentaries from the director and star Steve Sandkuhler. In addition, disc two includes extensive making-of documentaries, and several on-camera interviews, including one with Stephen Thrower, whose monumental book <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/NIGHTMARE-USA-Untold-Exploitation-Independents/dp/1903254469/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19M7X8TNOJ0RO&keywords=nightmare+usa+the+untold+story+of+the+exploitation+independents&qid=1703856853&sprefix=nightmare+usa%2Caps%2C652&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Nightmare USA</span></a></u> (Fabpress, 2007) devoted an entire chapter to the film and director. Regardless of the film’s generally poor reputation, this is a meticulously assembled package that comes highly recommended!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DANZA MACABRA – THE ITALIAN GOTHIC COLLECTION VOLUME 1 & 2</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1964 – 1972] (Severin Films) – Following up on Arrow Video’s magnificent <b>GOTHIC FANTASTICO: FOUR ITALIAN TALES OF TERROR</b> from last year, Severin have since released two exquisite box sets of beautifully restored and likeminded Italian gothics (and a couple of wholly unique examples!), which should continue to enhance this genre’s burgeoning reputation within North America. Some of the highlights include a gorgeous UHD of Antonio Margheriti’s gothic staple <b>CASTLE OF BLOOD</b> (1964) starring Barbara Steele, and stunning HD debuts of Renato Polselli’s incredible <b>THE MONSTER OF THE OPERA</b> (1964), José Luis Merino’s <b>SCREAM OF THE DEMON LOVER</b> (1970), Mel Welles’ <b>LADY FRANKENSTEIN</b> (1971), ‘Finney Cliff’/Garibaldi Serra Caracciolo’s <b>THE SEVENTH GRAVE</b> (1965) and Paolo Lombardo’s <b>THE DEVIL’S LOVER</b> (1972), the latter two making their official worldwide disc debuts. But the real icing on the cake is the inclusion of Giorgio Albertazzi’s never-before-seen 4-part mini-series <b>JEKYLL</b> (1969) and Corrado Farina’s “startling reinvention of the Dracula mythos” <b>THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR FACE</b> (1971), which has long been difficult to see outside of murky grey market bootlegs. Supplements include informative audio commentaries with film historians and authors Kat Ellinger, Rachael Nisbet, Rod Barnett, Robert Monell, and Annie Rose Malamet as well as scores of on-camera interviews, video essays and trailers. As an added bonus, Severin have also included a bonus soundtrack CD of the never-before-released score for Elvio Monti’s <b>THE DEVIL’S LOVER</b>! Bursting with beautiful imagery and tons of appropriately malevolent atmosphere, Severin continues to do valiant work rescuing these wonderful films from the throes of obscurity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixj54oMshH2dfbGwenei5mrvh5sXdeTCXBMf7CiUxMJLC3tHxKrLFKK0IVEjX6c1IKBZu2pTrstbiYXd7xowSZA9ub-1KAN-FESwgQbhXySgcTxsYpJExPV_Cy8lOgCzPOWi8tmXgbAXlLypkg0YtLx68AJbShBFM0i-4le7OIPlXi5hZ8lLfXg2IVEs/s2826/Sheila%20Levine%20is%20Dead%20and%20Living%20in%20New%20York.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="2826" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixj54oMshH2dfbGwenei5mrvh5sXdeTCXBMf7CiUxMJLC3tHxKrLFKK0IVEjX6c1IKBZu2pTrstbiYXd7xowSZA9ub-1KAN-FESwgQbhXySgcTxsYpJExPV_Cy8lOgCzPOWi8tmXgbAXlLypkg0YtLx68AJbShBFM0i-4le7OIPlXi5hZ8lLfXg2IVEs/w400-h194/Sheila%20Levine%20is%20Dead%20and%20Living%20in%20New%20York.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>DIRECTED BY SIDNEY J. FURIE</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1970 – 1978] (Imprint Films) – While it could be argued that Furie’s <b>THE IPCRESS FILE</b> (1965), his shadowy – and visually very savvy – counter-espionage thriller starring Michael Caine (itself released by Imprint Films in 2021 as part of <b>THE HARRY PALMER COLLECTION</b>), or his Billie Holiday biopic <b>LADY SINGS THE BLUES</b> (1972) are probably his most recognized films, but Canadian born Sidney J. Furie, a director whose career has spanned decades working in the U.K., U.S. and Canada, has been otherwise almost entirely neglected. Well, along with Daniel Kremer, the author of <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sidney-J-Furie-Screen-Classics/dp/0813165962/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703856921&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Sidney J. Furie Life and Films</span></a></u> (University Press of Kentucky, 2015), and the ever-busy folks at Imprint Films, they have corrected this oversight with this fascinating and very thorough collection. Gathering together most of Furie’s ’70s output, which includes <b>THE LAWYER</b> (1970), <b>LITTLE FAUSS & BIG HALSY</b> (1971), <b>HIT!</b> (1973), <b>SHEILA LEVINE IS DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK</b> (1975) and <b>THE BOYS IN COMPANY C</b> (1978), each of these films feature uniformly strong performances, and a stylistically diverse approach to the material, which further reinforces Furie’s versatility as a director. Boasting new 2K and 4K scans, each film looks terrific (<b>SHEILA LEVINE</b> looks especially nice in this worldwide disc debut) and come fully-stacked with tons of special features including multiple audio commentaries (all of which are moderated by Kremer), and far too many extras to mention individually, but rest assured, you will come away with a far greater appreciation of the man’s work. Any self-respecting filmgoer should snap this up without hesitation!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmCLQqTZ99vNCq1wNOGsyRt27jv0TNTOXComj7SgKmgvZX_bSzQLDEwDAQzF4yo_c7bNHALGgM1gDUTxPspPXF1Frj755YVy6_k8upmhjWICN0xw8UNcROaHcJ88WiTg6tIfb1WgpJ2BdrrYg1B9RjAGQfy51yt4r0YfUMfvqHW4-PJV_ur2_DXvBbLg/s2818/East%20End%20Hustle.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1522" data-original-width="2818" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmCLQqTZ99vNCq1wNOGsyRt27jv0TNTOXComj7SgKmgvZX_bSzQLDEwDAQzF4yo_c7bNHALGgM1gDUTxPspPXF1Frj755YVy6_k8upmhjWICN0xw8UNcROaHcJ88WiTg6tIfb1WgpJ2BdrrYg1B9RjAGQfy51yt4r0YfUMfvqHW4-PJV_ur2_DXvBbLg/w400-h216/East%20End%20Hustle.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>EAST END HUSTLE</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1976] (Canadian International Pictures) – After a young hooker named Cindy (Andrée Pelletier) quits her day job and leaves her pimp (Miguel Fernandes), she even convinces Marianne (Anne-Marie Provencher), the young upstart, to do the same. This causes a small rebellion among the working girls, which forces Miguel to call in some of his mob friends who resort to equal opportunity brutality without hesitation. Despite the rudimentary premise, much of the narrative takes great pains to humanize its cast of working girls very effectively, with much of the principal players rising above the lowly – but entertaining – material. Add to all this an authentically sleazy Montreal backdrop and plenty of nudity, and you’ve got a rather exceptional blend of sub-genres that is part softcore sex pic, a kitchen-sink social drama and sleazy actioner. Criminally underseen, CIP Releasing’s flawless UHD/BD combo brings out all the gritty realism of ’70s era Montreal, which is further enhanced with several extra features with director Frank Vitale, Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman (the film’s U.S. distributor), composer Len Blum, a very informative audio commentary with <u><a href="http://Canuxploitation.com"><span style="color: red;">Canuxploitation.com</span></a></u>’s Paul Corupe and film historian Jason Pichonsky, and a liner notes booklet with writing on the film from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToZD19xFEODSylyvYJeXMQf5Ig-ztuYkd4r6EctSaKi9Hz1kzEMWf2hKu5Mc_stIEy8YxetVvDHFLSQI1nha_5Kqt5gVsobZzjJ2Tvwapjy_XMPp5178ReJJMjlQSXhLekutY1sbpm3skgw4xAH9ioaEvcp89PghP_-f1xQBu7kSuwtPy9cilUng0awc/s1920/Frankenstein%20'80.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToZD19xFEODSylyvYJeXMQf5Ig-ztuYkd4r6EctSaKi9Hz1kzEMWf2hKu5Mc_stIEy8YxetVvDHFLSQI1nha_5Kqt5gVsobZzjJ2Tvwapjy_XMPp5178ReJJMjlQSXhLekutY1sbpm3skgw4xAH9ioaEvcp89PghP_-f1xQBu7kSuwtPy9cilUng0awc/w400-h225/Frankenstein%20'80.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1972] (Cauldron Films) – Although clumsily-executed across the boards and strung-together with only the flimsiest of plotlines – albeit still <i>highly </i>entertaining nevertheless – Mario Mancini’s sole directorial debut remained conspicuously absent in anything even close to resembling a passably watchable version in North America. But thanks to Cauldron Films, this shamelessly trashy Italo-horror gets a real first-class presentation, which will serve as a real revelation to anyone familiar only with </span>Gorgon’s VHS tape (“<i>He had a bone to pick…</i>”) or Cheezy Flicks’ VHS-sourced DVD. Film historian Heather Drain provides a very entertaining fact-filled audio commentary, which compliments this schlocky film perfectly, while the prolific – and always welcome - Eugenio Ercolani provides a couple of terrific interviews with star Dalila Di Lazzaro and film historian Domenico Monetti. Outside of this fantastic release, Cauldron continued to impress, which also saw them release beautifully-packaged editions of Lucio Fulci’s <b>CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD</b> (a.k.a. <b>THE GATES OF HELL</b>, 1980 – their first UHD!) Ruggero Deodato’s <b>OFF BALANCE</b> (a.k.a. <b>PHANTOM OF DEATH</b>, 1987), ‘Ted Archer’/Nello Rossati’s <b>TOPLINE</b> (1988), ‘Larry Ludman’/Fabrizio De Angelis’ <b>THE LAST MATCH </b>(1990), and ‘Anthony Ascot’/Giuliano Carnimeo’s <b>RAT MAN</b> (1987), so if you don’t have ’em, do yourself a favour and pick those up as well! <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/06/frankenstein-80-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read review</span></a>.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FROM HOLLYWOOD TO HEAVEN: THE LOST AND SAVED FILMS OF THE ORMOND FAMILY</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1959 – 1974] (Indicator) – Released in conjunction with Jimmy McDonough’s extraordinary 360-page book <u><a href="https://www.fabpress.com/the-exotic-ones-slipcased-hardcover.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">The Exotic Ones: That Fabulous Film-Making Family from Music City, USA – The Ormonds</span></a></u> (Fabpress, 2023), this equally remarkable Blu-ray collection represents the cinematic evidence of this wholly unique family, which includes Ron Ormond, his wife June and their son Tim. Bringing together 13 of their feature films including early barebones exploitation efforts such as <b>UNTAMED MISTRESS</b> (1951), <b>WHITE LIGHTNIN’ ROAD</b> (1967) and <b>THE EXOTIC ONES</b>(1968), their near death experience following a plane crash resulted in a <i>very</i> abrupt career change for the Ormonds. This life affirming event eventually brought about a series of unabashedly harsh bible-thumping religious films, some of which starred Estus W. Pirkle, a sermonizin’ hellfire ’n’ brimstone, commie-bashing evangelist who rails about the dangers and sin and evil. Painstakingly compiled, Jimmy McDonough’s obsessive – and much-welcomed - tenacity is all over this box set, which includes the usual in-depth extra features, making this rarefied collection an absolute must-have for the simple fascination of discovering trash film luminaries such as this. If not, God bless you, Mr. Pirkle would be proud of you for not heeding your baser impulses… I, for one, couldn’t resist. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">HOUSEBOAT HORROR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1989] (Umbrella Entertainment) – Long-time established Australian label Umbrella have released several mouth-watering special editions this past year, but none have been as revelatory as this collector’s edition Blu-ray of Ollie Martin’s <b>HOUSEBOAT HORROR</b>, which has the unique distinction of being Australia’s first SOV (shot-on-video) horror film. While this is nothing more than your standard <b>FRIDAY THE 13<sup>th</sup></b> (1980) clone, which includes a clunky script, some sloppy kills, and plenty of ’80s retro appeal, the Aussie setting alone (which includes locations at Lake Eildon in Victoria and some Melbourne suburbs) warrants a look-see by devotees of both Ozploitation and slasher genres. While not for all tastes, Umbrella’s impressive collector’s edition definitely outshines the film itself, which features a new “upscaled and color corrected” 1080p master alongside a seemingly endless array of extra features beginning with an enticing audio commentary with Tony Martin (moderated by Jarret Gahan), a 30<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Monster Fest Q & A with much of the cast and crew, a ton of interviews, Ollie Martin’s stuntman doc <b>THE MAD DAREDEVILS DOWN UNDER</b> (1990), and plenty more besides! Housed in a rigid slipcase, the collector’s edition also includes art-cards, a reversible poster, and a fantastic 48-page perfect-bound book with writing from Emma Westwood, John Harrison, and Andrew Leavold, which provides loads of additional context on this Ozploitation oddity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhOSrMWx3s58QMm3PCB0NKwy7WiDJRtJirJ26M-GxajOEOF2UZZ0nVaCHW4NzP7Gesir5HzQ8AOFlD4eGwP0q6Sg_7BxTendvD3ATaL3gMC-NcVIut-jGzpL0_ie1-ZXttVgcylnspo0A78d0BNK1OfpOxnXG3NDA1t-5FUv6ETwYHrsjrqTHVrj1psI/s2818/The%20Last%20Horror%20Film.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="2818" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhOSrMWx3s58QMm3PCB0NKwy7WiDJRtJirJ26M-GxajOEOF2UZZ0nVaCHW4NzP7Gesir5HzQ8AOFlD4eGwP0q6Sg_7BxTendvD3ATaL3gMC-NcVIut-jGzpL0_ie1-ZXttVgcylnspo0A78d0BNK1OfpOxnXG3NDA1t-5FUv6ETwYHrsjrqTHVrj1psI/w400-h215/The%20Last%20Horror%20Film.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE LAST HORROR FILM</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1982] (Severin Films) – Following several attempts from both Troma and 88 Films to release a definitive DVD and/or Blu-ray of this fascinating, one-off slasher film, which reunited Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro, the two stars of William Lustig’s <b>MANIAC</b> (1980), has finally been put to rest with this definitive UHD/BD combo. The new 4K scan taken from the “original negative with additional scenes sourced from a 35mm print discovered at the Cinémathèque Française” is a real eye-opener and brings to light a number of previously obscured details. As for extras, Severin have included several featurettes (including a fascinating locations visit with Michael Gingold and Severin’s David Gregory), and two new audio commentaries beginning with Spinell’s best friend Luke Walters (who was present during much of the shoot in Cannes), who divulges plenty of info about the troubled production, while Munro and FrightFest programmer Alan Jones discuss her time working with Spinell and the challenges brought about on said film in this highly-entertaining listen. The limited-edition website exclusive also included a 100-page (!) book with a look at “how not to make a horror movie” with co-producer/co-writer/co-star Judd Hamilton and an interview with director David Winters, which was housed in a collectible “Maniac II: Love to Kill” slipcase. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">MARTIN</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1977] (Second Sight Films) – One of the more eagerly anticipated releases of the last few years, George A. Romero’s brilliant multi-layered suburban horror film finally got its long-belated disc debut with this stunning UHD/BD combo. As usual, Second Sight have pulled out all the stops, which includes a bundle of extra features, and Donald Rubenstein’s haunting score on a bonus CD. It’s really quite incredible just how good this new 4K restoration looks, which of course, comes highly recommended!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-o7c9lwG0WZ__RnCfRIc2N7SC6gGCYIlZfrC-jbSnXhWpgTu22KsNzzDoiFIBzPJqeDZLkljH62q2BtDojY77tbwOHenzy5iUrH56XMdwsiowi-YvzpS60t8Qbj-taju1xGUO0B7sNrFCvsORJ-TAdEqZRP8fd7Hvd0oW8oF2t5dV5yM9Ea8D_GGKpZE/s2812/Nightmare.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="2812" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-o7c9lwG0WZ__RnCfRIc2N7SC6gGCYIlZfrC-jbSnXhWpgTu22KsNzzDoiFIBzPJqeDZLkljH62q2BtDojY77tbwOHenzy5iUrH56XMdwsiowi-YvzpS60t8Qbj-taju1xGUO0B7sNrFCvsORJ-TAdEqZRP8fd7Hvd0oW8oF2t5dV5yM9Ea8D_GGKpZE/w400-h217/Nightmare.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>NIGHTMARE</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1981] (Severin Films) – Garnering a vast cult following over the years, Romano Scavolini’s scuzzy slice’n’ dicer offers up many of the genre’s traditional trappings (the film borrows part of its outline from John Carpenter’s <b>HALLOWEEN</b> [1978]), but it’s also one of the most memorable, gore-drenched efforts to emerge out of the early ’80s slasher craze. <b>NIGHTMARE</b> (or <b>NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN</b> as per its U.K. Video Nasty title) has always had a complicated video history, so it’s great to finally have this film looking so good on this definitive 3-disc UHD/BD combo, which is crammed with audio commentaries, new and archival interviews (including one with Tom Savini, who finally sets the record straight about his involvement with the film), an extensive still gallery, trailers, and <b>Damaged: The Very British Obscenity of David Hamilton-Grant</b> (2023), a superb feature length documentary, which focuses on the British video distributor who was jailed for releasing the uncut version of said film during the U.K. Video Nasties fervor of the early ’80s. This is a stunning, must-have release of this grim and unsettling film. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE PACK</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1977] (Scream Factory) – Thoughtfully plotted and well-scripted, Robert Clouse’s tense and compelling animal attack film leaps to Blu-ray at long last, which looks very good in this new “2K restoration from the best surviving element.” Unlike Warner’s old made-on-demand DVD, Scream Factory’s Blu includes a great assortment of extras beginning with a wonderful, well-researched audio commentary from Lee Gambin, an authority on the subject and author of <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Massacred-Mother-Nature-Exploring-Natural/dp/1936168308/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703857088&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Massacred by Mother Nature: Exploring the Natural Horror Film</span></a></u> (Midnight Marquee, 2012), who adds a plethora of information about the film. Other extras include an interview with star Hope Alexander-Willis, and audio interviews with actor Sherry DeBoer, production manager Thomas LoFaro and composer Lee Holdridge, who provide tons of background info and insight on this solidly entertaining film. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRUq1sMEd_7FdCtxP3U8OxE85JjIC3T35a2Wvx27c4uzFgUZg1klzIQBWhe-RRsvBjGogOGf-WG1GbJseNDM49BmRGAFROsmkoOEC3xZmA3qEkNfpZUOo5fk6FQg7kXPa7wJSYgvhiOLmaYMBrMjA05atNT0jux2lOH9wpDdWbaYp64rcrbbkNXgj4iQ/s1431/The%20Sensual%20World%20of%20Black%20Emanuelle%20cover%20shot.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1431" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRUq1sMEd_7FdCtxP3U8OxE85JjIC3T35a2Wvx27c4uzFgUZg1klzIQBWhe-RRsvBjGogOGf-WG1GbJseNDM49BmRGAFROsmkoOEC3xZmA3qEkNfpZUOo5fk6FQg7kXPa7wJSYgvhiOLmaYMBrMjA05atNT0jux2lOH9wpDdWbaYp64rcrbbkNXgj4iQ/w400-h215/The%20Sensual%20World%20of%20Black%20Emanuelle%20cover%20shot.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1974-2021] (Severin Films) – A stunning labour of love, this comprehensive collection of the Black Emanuelle films (mostly starring the strikingly photogenic Laura Gemser) showcases a total of 24 films highlighting different key areas of Gemser’s lengthy career, which also focuses on her numerous collaborators that also include director ‘Joe D’Amato’/Aristide Massaccesi, her husband and fellow actor Gabriele Tinti, and many more friends and colleagues. With over 40 hours (!) of extra features, this gorgeously-designed collection also includes <u>The Black Emanuelle Bible</u>, an extraordinary 356-page book, which not only includes thorough examinations of </span>every Black Emnanuelle film and/or variation thereof, but <span lang="EN-US">several insightful essays as well. </span>It goes without saying that Severin Films have truly outdone themselves with this incredible box set, a jaw-droppingly exhaustive, first-class presentation that defies every possible expectation! This is, without question, the finest release of the year! Read the review: <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sensual-world-of-black-emanuelle.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Part 1</span></a>, <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sensual-world-of-black-emanuelle_10.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Part 2</span></a>, <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sensual-world-of-black-emanuelle_64.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Part 3</span></a>, <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sensual-world-of-black-emanuelle_66.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Part 4</span></a>, and <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-sensual-world-of-black-emanuelle_31.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Part 5</span></a>. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijN4rb7QuqcqUORUbJFBNkBusWra6Tk5X19tr-gTQzcu2vvk2Q-eOiB8wSONStXjI5ocE4U2mMRmyMb7I4aGrrTtSFgVRF5sGwmEQr3BLm71vKeMBXW-z0Tg0ALc0RkFM6TxhpzDzipm-ievQHuRJJVryExkQH6V6Ad1yEkBymSG_QlmcBXKcafFxWyBA/s2822/The%20Sinister%20Dr.%20Orloff.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="2822" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijN4rb7QuqcqUORUbJFBNkBusWra6Tk5X19tr-gTQzcu2vvk2Q-eOiB8wSONStXjI5ocE4U2mMRmyMb7I4aGrrTtSFgVRF5sGwmEQr3BLm71vKeMBXW-z0Tg0ALc0RkFM6TxhpzDzipm-ievQHuRJJVryExkQH6V6Ad1yEkBymSG_QlmcBXKcafFxWyBA/w400-h196/The%20Sinister%20Dr.%20Orloff.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE SINISTER DR. ORLOFF</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1984] (Mondo Macabro) – One of several Dr. Orloff films director Jess Franco made throughout his career, this version of the oft-told story was perhaps the most difficult to locate outside of dreary bootlegs. In what is essentially a remake of <b>THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF</b> (1961 – notice the different spelling), this updated re-telling replaces the dark and gloomy gothic atmosphere of the original with the sunny Alicante coastline of Spain, and instead of gruesome skin grafts, Dr. Alfred Orloff (this time played with appropriate gusto by frequent Franco collaborator Antonio Mayans), attempts to transfer the soul of his dead mother (Rocio Freixas) into the bodies of recently kidnapped young women to help satisfy his… um, incestuous urges. Like most of Franco’s films from this time period, he does what he can with the very limited budget, coaxing excellent performances from his trusted troupe of actors (including a nice extended cameo from Howard Vernon, the original Dr. Orlof) who have no problem handling the taboo material and the usual overdoses of nudity and sex. MM’s disc is a real sight for sore eyes, which looks immaculate in this new 4K transfer from the original camera negative, and is ably complimented by some terrific extra features including an audio commentary from Troy Howarth and <a href="http://mondo-digital.com/#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>'s Nathaniel Thompson, and separate interviews with Mayans and Franco authority Stephen Thrower, all of whom provide plenty of knowledge about said film and the continually expanding universe of Franco’s fascinating career.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMMaMllWi76uLJFIx9B34U-bK4MZ4fGdEFqnyYVGknFNH7XN8mOTdkpfxuy9pn7mn8jhkHDEqSZ0gTcGheuIj-k4JDNnMbBOsUVYJBAxlB9sL8hoaX6RSCJhZ-1yZSnQkD_ftcOnBsvgkjgf36giG09zEFCRSUo6qkdmMguBo9Ja5-0wz7k5X8MFKQqI/s2820/Srigala.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2820" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMMaMllWi76uLJFIx9B34U-bK4MZ4fGdEFqnyYVGknFNH7XN8mOTdkpfxuy9pn7mn8jhkHDEqSZ0gTcGheuIj-k4JDNnMbBOsUVYJBAxlB9sL8hoaX6RSCJhZ-1yZSnQkD_ftcOnBsvgkjgf36giG09zEFCRSUo6qkdmMguBo9Ja5-0wz7k5X8MFKQqI/w400-h194/Srigala.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>SRIGALA</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1981] (Terror Vision) – Directed by Sisworo Gautama Putra, this Indonesian knock-off of Sean S. Cunningham’s <b>FRIDAY THE 13<sup>TH</sup></b> (1980), which also includes several other interesting plot points and oddball characteristics, arrives on Blu-ray in a stunning 2K transfer taken from the original camera negative. Retaining the film’s original 2.39:1 aspect ratio, Terror Vision’s fantastic new restoration is backed by a number of on-camera interviews with many of the film’s participants, and a beautifully designed, eye-popping slipcover. Highly recommended!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">TOD BROWNING’S SIDESHOW SHOCKERS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1925 – 1932] (Criterion Collection) – Although best known for directing Bela Lugosi in <b>DRACULA</b> (1931), director Tod Browning’s undisputed masterpiece is the extraordinary <b>FREAKS </b>(1932), which has finally arrived on Blu-ray in this handsome set, which also includes <b>THE UNKNOWN</b>(1927) and <b>THE MYSTIC</b> (1925), two of Browning’s silent-era films that also feature a predominant sideshow milieu. Criterion’s new 2K overhaul looks terrific with nicely nuanced depth and detail missing from the previous Warner DVD, but equally important, are the inclusion of numerous extra features (both new and archival), which do a great job of introducing and reinforcing the importance of Browning’s body of work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB2h05uHftB0EZY8_QYTvH-1PCYuN7HKsrwaRH1EAjlosqY1DnUVKWo6kx6tT9nIQmEJnZiC2nyoEhmj1WMfgFrUSy34YSZwwU6FFJYtsZt9ATJcPwHSqtaLEIzRF3WBGb7R_tYxB76tUE6I_HuHHdMe8E9WF3eM_5K8XzdOShUDCIpwMcvUlhkD0l28/s2812/T.R.%20Baskin.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="2812" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB2h05uHftB0EZY8_QYTvH-1PCYuN7HKsrwaRH1EAjlosqY1DnUVKWo6kx6tT9nIQmEJnZiC2nyoEhmj1WMfgFrUSy34YSZwwU6FFJYtsZt9ATJcPwHSqtaLEIzRF3WBGb7R_tYxB76tUE6I_HuHHdMe8E9WF3eM_5K8XzdOShUDCIpwMcvUlhkD0l28/w400-h216/T.R.%20Baskin.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>T.R. BASKIN</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1971] (Fun City Editions) – Long unavailable on home video and virtually forgotten, Candice Bergen stars as the title character who ventures to Chicago “to seek fame and fortune”, but is met with disappointments in her work, her new ‘friends’ and the men she meets (here represented by Peter Boyle and James Caan). Bergen is absolutely remarkable in the tricky role whose snarky façade is perhaps her response to the daily grind of modern big city life in general or perhaps just the loneliness of it all. Written by future director Peter Hyams and directed by Herbert Ross, it’s great to finally have this back in circulation, which not only looks terrific in this new transfer, but is accompanied with several terrific extras (including an interview with Hyams) to help give this misunderstood film a new lease on life. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">VINEGAR SYNDROME’S LOST PICTURE SHOW</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1966 – 1987] (Vinegar Syndrome) – In honour of their ten-year anniversary, VS have unleashed this years-in-the-making, ten-film collection of thought-to-be-lost American genre films, which will probably confound and/or frustrate some of the more casual VS fans, but for the more adventurous, cinematically broad-minded viewers, this is a treasure-trove of weird delights. Outside of the films themselves, which includes everything from early slashers such as Oliver Drake’s <b>THE LAS VEGAS STRANGLER</b> (1968) to Donn Greer’s indescribable kiddie film <b>THE RARE BLUE APES OF CANNIBAL ISLE</b> (1975), VS have packed their set with a dense array of special features (including Elijah Drenner’s wonderful film restoration doc <b>AGAINST THE GRAIN</b> [2023]) and a couple of perfect-bound books detailing all of the films, which should keep most B-film enthusiasts occupied for the better part of a month! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnsEdFszrrvXM2NMPt-ZDn-wwJs4oyS-xUdhybGpoOPOqJV1bdjvW5xAEA1s2k_qgg4IF0ITfyts4OIRHRNlgqw1GpfZApyxB-LCTaHNicDIhkp_0cXos_QWo6n1o0yHdiygB7PShpsdsHDQwd-ahyphenhyphenQZOS1baSiTB5UfG5VPzy31QZxxNfhpic9GTKgs/s2824/The%20Whip%20and%20the%20Body%20finale.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2824" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnsEdFszrrvXM2NMPt-ZDn-wwJs4oyS-xUdhybGpoOPOqJV1bdjvW5xAEA1s2k_qgg4IF0ITfyts4OIRHRNlgqw1GpfZApyxB-LCTaHNicDIhkp_0cXos_QWo6n1o0yHdiygB7PShpsdsHDQwd-ahyphenhyphenQZOS1baSiTB5UfG5VPzy31QZxxNfhpic9GTKgs/w400-h216/The%20Whip%20and%20the%20Body%20finale.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE WHIP AND THE BODY</b></span><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1963] (88 Films) – Previously released in several compromised editions, this Region B Blu from the U.K. finally gets things right with a superb transfer sourced from “archive materials”, which corrects various day-for-night shots and eliminates the blue tint found in Kino Lorber’s Region A disc. Affording this remarkable Mario Bava film the respect it deserves, 88 Films have also stacked their disc with two excellent audio commentaries (one with author Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, and the other with author Kim Newman and Sean Hogan), as well as interviews with scribe Ernesto Gastaldi, Mario’s son Lamberto Bava, and several trailers for the film. The entire package is housed in a colourful rigid slipcase, which also includes a 40-page book with writing from Marta Oliehoek-Samitowska, Francesco Massaccesi and Rachael Nisbet. Even if you own the Kino Blu or German EMS DVD (both of which include Tim Lucas’ superb audio commentary), 88 Films’ new Blu is definitely worth the double or <i>triple</i> dip!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">ZERO WOMAN: RED HANDCUFFS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1974] (Neon Eagle Video) – One of the most outrageous ‘pinky violence’ films (a successful sub-genre, which was born out of the Japanese sex or ‘pink film’ that mixed sex and violence) to come out of Japan, Yukio Noda’s highly-stylized, incredibly violent film stars Miki Sugimoto in a career-defining, no-holds barred performance, which totals all-out, balls-out, action/exploitation. Featuring a vibrant 4K restoration, the disc also includes an audio commentary from film historian Samm Deighan and an interview with <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/TokyoScope-Japanese-Cult-Film-Companion/dp/1569316813/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BNNMU0NNRRC2&keywords=tokyoscope+the+japanese&qid=1703857443&sprefix=tokyoscope+the+japanese%2Caps%2C503&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Tokyoscope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion</span></a></u> (Viz Communications, 2001) author Patrick Macias, while the limited edition also includes a nice illustrated booklet with writing on the film from Chris D., and a limited slipcover with artwork from Justin Coffee. And if you haven’t already done so, go ahead and pick-up Neon Eagle Video’s extras-laden, debut release of Yu-Lung Hsu’s <b>KILL BUTTERFLY KILL</b>, which is another must-have Blu from this new and exciting boutique label. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS</span></b><span lang="EN-US">, which are also very worthy of your time!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR</b> </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">(Kino Lorber Studio Classics UHD), <b>5 WOMEN FOR THE KILLER </b>(Vinegar Syndrome), <b>ATTACK OF THE BEAST CREATURES </b>(AGFA), <b>BLACK MAGIC RITES</b> (Indicator UHD), <b>A BLADE IN THE DARK</b> (Vinegar Syndrome UHD), <b>BLOOD MONEY & SAVAGE GUNS: 4 CLASSIC WESTERNS VOLUMES 2 & 3</b> (Arrow Video), <b>BLOODSUCKING FREAKS</b> (Vinegar Syndrome UHD), <b>CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD</b> (UHD – Cauldron Films), <b>COPPERHEAD</b> (Terror Vision), <b>COUNT DRACULA</b> (Severin Films UHD), <b>CROCODILE</b> (Synapse Films), <b>CUJO</b> (Kino Lorber Studio Classics UHD), <b>CURSE OF THE DOG GOD</b> (Mondo Macabro), <b>DELIRIUM</b> (Vinegar Syndrome), <b>DR. BUTCHER M.D.</b> (Severin Films UHD), <b>ENTER THE VIDEO STORE: EMPIRE OF SCREAMS </b>(Arrow Video), <b>EXTRA TERRESTRIAL VISITORS</b> (Severin Films), <b>ESCAPE FROM HELLHOLE</b> (Terror Vision), <b>FATAL GAMES</b> (Vinegar Syndrome), <b>FLESH AND FANTASY</b> (Vinegar Syndrome Labs), <b>THE FLESH TRILOGY</b> (Vinegar Syndrome/Distribpix), <b>GORGO</b> (Vinegar Syndrome UHD), <b>THE HARD PART BEGINS </b>(Canadian International Pictures), <b>THE HAUNTING OF JULIA</b> (Imprint Films 2-disc set or Scream Factory UHD), <b>THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK</b> (Radiance Films / Region B), <b>THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED</b> (Arrow Video), <b>IMPULSE</b> (Grindhouse Releasing), <b>INFERNAL RAPIST</b> (Vinegar Syndrome), <b>THE IRON PREFECT </b>(Radiance Films), <b>KILL BUTTERFLY KILL </b>(Neon Eagle Video), <b>THE LAST MATCH</b> (Cauldron Films), <b>MAGIC, MYTH & MUTILATION: THE MICRO-BUDGET CINEMA OF MICHAEL J. MURPHY, 1967 – 2015</b> (Indicator), <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/magnum-cop-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">MAGNUM COP</span></a></b> (Raro Video), <b>MARQUIS DE SADE'S PHILOSOPHY IN THE BOUDOIR / EUGENIE</b> (Blue Underground UHD), <b>MEAN STREETS</b> (Criterion Collection UHD), <b>MESSIAH OF EVIL </b>(Radiance Films), <b>MOTHER’S DAY</b> (Vinegar Syndrome UHD), <b>OFF BALANCE</b> (Cauldron Films), <b>THE PSYCHIC</b> (Severin Films UHD), <b>RAT MAN</b> (Cauldron Films), <b>ROBOT MONSTER</b> (Bayview Entertainment), <b>THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE</b> (Second Sight UHD), <b>TOPLINE</b> (Cauldron Films), <b>UNMAN, WITTERING AND ZIGO</b> (Arrow Video), and <b>VIOLENT STREETS: THE UMBERTO LENZI / TOMAS MILIAN COLLECTION</b> (Severin Films). </span></span></span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-17687365401212422692023-12-18T17:21:00.000-05:002023-12-18T17:21:29.190-05:00MAGNUM COP - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQ4qvuR1gPF8ZuNC0HrgooXCdqVbPQOjSE4qrvlxqWdIfPbkReEASBVc2oXVGr0ZkET2LwHvZ4ZVF7JCWHpPKVpvgF_vl3dn9bLMRi7XIUH9tbTy5aQHKK-GhUEqna8SeEabQz9pdnnNgdja5YBffdYV7V0MLTIKp1ZcaSLcJPzANBocvIKGLCccpkW0/s2932/1.%20Maurizio%20Merli.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2932" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQ4qvuR1gPF8ZuNC0HrgooXCdqVbPQOjSE4qrvlxqWdIfPbkReEASBVc2oXVGr0ZkET2LwHvZ4ZVF7JCWHpPKVpvgF_vl3dn9bLMRi7XIUH9tbTy5aQHKK-GhUEqna8SeEabQz9pdnnNgdja5YBffdYV7V0MLTIKp1ZcaSLcJPzANBocvIKGLCccpkW0/w400-h225/1.%20Maurizio%20Merli.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By this point in his career, Maurizio Merli’s succession of militant police inspectors had virtually exterminated all the available criminal lowlife in Rome, Milan and Naples combined, but in Stelvio Massi’s <b>MAGNUM COP</b> (1978) we witness the Italocrime experience effortlessly transliterated to the mean streets of Vienna, Austria. Although released on tape during the VHS era as <b>FEARLESS</b>, New World Video’s U.S. videocassette version was promoted along the lines of a <b>FATAL ATTRACTION</b> (1987)-type erotic thriller (“<i>A story of intrigue, deception and fatal seduction.</i>”), which was re-edited and even re-scored, but thanks to Raro Video’s new Blu-ray, it’s great to finally have this enjoyable slice of Italian action back in circulation, which is a must-see, simply because it stars the great Maurizio Merli.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjVlysMp0lXVI27dp32Zt17SgnUhcwF9KyxYHiZwwv3bDKOYldkCjXzdDPc9xMvkEWThlOVCVlKekS1YmKRKyqiHlRzZcpYqSAiZiCYgAfEmBm68xbS1rWftp0pyd1k0yO8ONniIes0QojF9eEtb08T4dRaooK_d7hRfdES_z_Rs8SxY_rwqUP36s7as/s2932/2.%20Merli%20at%20home.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2932" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjVlysMp0lXVI27dp32Zt17SgnUhcwF9KyxYHiZwwv3bDKOYldkCjXzdDPc9xMvkEWThlOVCVlKekS1YmKRKyqiHlRzZcpYqSAiZiCYgAfEmBm68xbS1rWftp0pyd1k0yO8ONniIes0QojF9eEtb08T4dRaooK_d7hRfdES_z_Rs8SxY_rwqUP36s7as/w400-h224/2.%20Merli%20at%20home.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Massi wastes no time getting down to the nitty-gritty, and even before the opening credits roll, ex-cop-turned-private-eye Walter “Wally” Speda (Merli) thwarts a kidnapping of the French consulate’s daughter by masked bandits with his usual brand of shoot-first-ask-questions-later brand of law enforcement. In light of this brazen shoot-’em-up, Speda faces the possibility of jail time for “spraying bullets at people as if they there were targets”, but thanks to his quick-thinking actions, Speda informs the press that it was his former boss Inspector Nardelli (Andrea Scotti) that foiled the kidnappers. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkShGa2PtrHs15LvNL5Fev_0kA_MGp1n00nOFrBpKJBonCM33loDV-6X-cit_aSfxNUe2Hr1_irO8m2rmUHVVKd6wTYGPQVx7OdZ0sBkJ11QQAF8Qvld42CPWAWnXONTGw9MebJdN-Aw1raQ1iPYdaoZd8sf81XpJ3GAIkkKJP86G3ZIWB9wZ5SwRvm_Q/s2926/3.%20Massimo%20Vanni.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2926" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkShGa2PtrHs15LvNL5Fev_0kA_MGp1n00nOFrBpKJBonCM33loDV-6X-cit_aSfxNUe2Hr1_irO8m2rmUHVVKd6wTYGPQVx7OdZ0sBkJ11QQAF8Qvld42CPWAWnXONTGw9MebJdN-Aw1raQ1iPYdaoZd8sf81XpJ3GAIkkKJP86G3ZIWB9wZ5SwRvm_Q/w400-h224/3.%20Massimo%20Vanni.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Soon after, Speda is hired by Austrian banking tycoon Von Straban (Alexander Trojan), to try and find his daughter Annelise (Annarita Grapputo), who may be held against her will by a Roman Hare Krishna cult. Even though he quickly locates her, Annelise soon makes her escape from Speda’s flat after getting naked and faking an epileptic seizure, only to be subsequently abducted by a group of unknown men. No sooner than Speda arrives in Vienna, Annelise’s father quickly drops the search for his daughter and dismisses Speda from the case, which even causes concern for Austrian police chief Karl Korper (Gastone Moschin). However, when a young girl named Gina (Claudia Messner) turns up dead and sexually molested, Speda correctly deduces that an underage prostitution ring is probably tied-in with Annelise’s disappearance as well. When not obsessing over his case, Speda makes the acquaintance of Brigitte (Joan Collins), an exclusive burlesque dancer who becomes increasingly smitten with Merli’s down-on-his-luck dick, but as his investigation progresses, Brigitte is just one more character hiding behind a phony façade…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCrwm4ImESfHi__5RvrGCVTln677YOGP00s-yjmZFUPO8nP6G6UTK4VjqR49UU-vt3qTL1OCvPX3Z3-lXn_IfoQEc5uV1WsBsYVROZlRCX5b3sBSN0AZIb0X3bMYwFHispooE2RGlVs7XfM0Ek5xmAwjS4-0ltiXtDm1atMgjVpgjlZwRPqNGCPt_yCw/s2920/4.%20Joan%20Collins.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="2920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCrwm4ImESfHi__5RvrGCVTln677YOGP00s-yjmZFUPO8nP6G6UTK4VjqR49UU-vt3qTL1OCvPX3Z3-lXn_IfoQEc5uV1WsBsYVROZlRCX5b3sBSN0AZIb0X3bMYwFHispooE2RGlVs7XfM0Ek5xmAwjS4-0ltiXtDm1atMgjVpgjlZwRPqNGCPt_yCw/w400-h225/4.%20Joan%20Collins.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Alias “The Fox” and described in advance press materials as “An ex-policeman, an adventurous, bragging and over-bearing type…”, Merli’s character jokingly refers to himself as “The greatest private eye in the world!” and whose apartment is decorated with numerous crime and detective film memorabilia (which includes Italian posters for John Huston’s <b>THE MACKINTOSH MAN</b> [1973] and Sam Peckinpah’s <b>THE KILLER</b> <b>ELITE</b> [1975] to name a few). In a nice change of pace, Merli’s role herein is filtered through some lightweight comedy, an attempt by the typecast actor to distance himself of his humourless vigilante cop mould, which is best characterized by his back-and-forth banter with Benny (Massimo Vanni), his PI agency partner, who does little except play <i>scopa</i> (one of three prominent card games in Italy) or imitates Robert De Niro’s “You talkin’ ta <i>me</i>?” schtick from Martin Scorsese’s <b>TAXI DRIVER</b> (1976). </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC8wBFwRbmDGc0pzawO2YuJVm6m8gmVZ2ioHWzDGHlmvqg_d6dXsOFZcLxWeiM2ZV2KZKABwd643EYLOjTqXpq0Jty8LRBvjLmNyN3H7ZyEYc0Lk6MCsFzBUS2-FDzD74Qu58DrzUcFZwzFsUI4E2W-BOMC3f2yVGJDS3Yo6zm5dx1uGOS8S-QpTZdKQ/s2926/5.%20Merli%20and%20Maimone.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2926" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC8wBFwRbmDGc0pzawO2YuJVm6m8gmVZ2ioHWzDGHlmvqg_d6dXsOFZcLxWeiM2ZV2KZKABwd643EYLOjTqXpq0Jty8LRBvjLmNyN3H7ZyEYc0Lk6MCsFzBUS2-FDzD74Qu58DrzUcFZwzFsUI4E2W-BOMC3f2yVGJDS3Yo6zm5dx1uGOS8S-QpTZdKQ/w400-h224/5.%20Merli%20and%20Maimone.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While endeavouring along with the help of detective Karl (Moschin drives a showy green Porsche Carrera and also wears a customary Tyrolean hat, just to make sure we know he’s Austrian), Speda must also resist the temptations of the enigmatic Brigitte, whom he first meets at a swanky nightclub called the Queen Anne performing a chaste burlesque routine. Later in the film, the ever-lurking henchman Strauss (Werner Pochath) and owner of the Queen Anne roughs-up Speda for “getting too close” to Brigitte, but she and Speda strike up an unlikely relationship just the same. However, dramatic tension soon escalates when Speda realizes that Brigitte is nothing more than a procurer for the prostitution racket luring underage girls into this sordid world with the promise of extravagant clothes and a glamorous life. When Renata (Jasmine Maimone), one of Speda’s underage informants, attempts to solicit him (“<i>Do you wanna make love?</i>”), she ends up the victim of a timely ‘hit-and-run’, which eventually leads to one of the more bizarre, revenge-driven denouements of any Merli film.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzb53mmoLgtLaafmMxBt_o3syM2PbY_416bN2-OoOuYMIQKDprVbhpVk4qGfPpKPovHJa6vFNVgZeWn92gmmzX0GQa_wHaNKShqad1r1gttgvYIwlCPk-rLqBZFjw-eByfs1SjPcghHGVu3MGqClq2Bh4r4hreBSKH5Bz0dEsrr72yeejQOYL3PDH2bA/s2930/6.%20Collins%20dressed%20up.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2930" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzb53mmoLgtLaafmMxBt_o3syM2PbY_416bN2-OoOuYMIQKDprVbhpVk4qGfPpKPovHJa6vFNVgZeWn92gmmzX0GQa_wHaNKShqad1r1gttgvYIwlCPk-rLqBZFjw-eByfs1SjPcghHGVu3MGqClq2Bh4r4hreBSKH5Bz0dEsrr72yeejQOYL3PDH2bA/w400-h225/6.%20Collins%20dressed%20up.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Co-produced by Austrian nudie specialist Franz Antel (best known for his ’70s “Sexy Susan” films with Terry Torday), the film offers noticeably more titillation than your average Italocrime film including plentiful topless scenes from imminent TV star Joan Collins and Annarita Grupputo, who also shed her clothes in Mario Imperoli’s far nastier <i>polizieschi</i> <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/07/years-of-lead-five-classic-italian.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">LIKE RABID DOGS</span></a></b> (1976). Although lacking many of the genre’s traditional trappings, director Stelvio Massi still manages to stage a brief car chase on the outskirts of Rome, and an energetic foot chase through the Viennese metro, all of which is set to Stelvio Cipriani’s driving flute-and-guitars score.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUua37_odhhtaiVWNAJeuqKJr23lMNlQ1Re-d1y5BrU1_nymejIudn1oLIEfDH57jfKvnCCj6lbVxMatwXRZusgn-VKUDkfoQ5lbfqSrVurYmmUZyJXSa8ssOeGSdhWWwsunEnbowwWFPWQWawLu2j_wwTNPtycct6lk8GUeGZuy0TOJyen3GyIuD0tNc/s2800/7.%20Collins%20working.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="2800" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUua37_odhhtaiVWNAJeuqKJr23lMNlQ1Re-d1y5BrU1_nymejIudn1oLIEfDH57jfKvnCCj6lbVxMatwXRZusgn-VKUDkfoQ5lbfqSrVurYmmUZyJXSa8ssOeGSdhWWwsunEnbowwWFPWQWawLu2j_wwTNPtycct6lk8GUeGZuy0TOJyen3GyIuD0tNc/w400-h224/7.%20Collins%20working.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Continuing to champion some of the lesser-seen Eurocrime films Italy had to offer, Raro Video’s new Blu-ray (distributed by Kino Lorber) includes a fine-looking transfer of this engrossing, albeit largely forgotten Merli film. Here retaining the film’s original export title <b>FEARLESS FUZZ</b>, this HD presentation is quite pleasing with plenty of depth and a nicely balanced colour scheme; overall this is an impressive transfer. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks feature English and Italian (the latter with optional English subtitles) audio, which sound clean and without any faults, especially in view of the film’s original production limitations and Italy’s dubbing practices. For the record, prominent voice talent artist Ted Rusoff does a great job as the voice of Merli, and who is quite obviously having a blast doing so, while Robert Sommer adds a humourous Austrian accent to Karl’s character and the ubiquitous Pat Starke dubs Jasmine Maimone, the jailbait informant. Incidentally, Maimone would go on to star in Luigi Cozzi’s much later <b>PAGANINI HORROR</b> (1989), where she was again voiced by Starke in the English version. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYbHk2_KnXlKWwQ81_7y9-XCrbB1KIDjbVA3zvqe35eruLWBKfqm_lgJ3w9j-zaRViyO7SkNB152eGNaYLPBBB8Gh4J6mfPFS5Njs7KNVWJ6wHadxXB_Tbe4a19YDr8ipd7q4L5LMYQPVbzz6agS7kCFzh_7L9QgUKDjxKTeGbsODZWBU498cE6BRAkw/s2928/8.%20Gastone%20Moschin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2928" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYbHk2_KnXlKWwQ81_7y9-XCrbB1KIDjbVA3zvqe35eruLWBKfqm_lgJ3w9j-zaRViyO7SkNB152eGNaYLPBBB8Gh4J6mfPFS5Njs7KNVWJ6wHadxXB_Tbe4a19YDr8ipd7q4L5LMYQPVbzz6agS7kCFzh_7L9QgUKDjxKTeGbsODZWBU498cE6BRAkw/w400-h225/8.%20Gastone%20Moschin.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The one big – and very welcome - extra is an audio commentary with <a href="http://mondo-digital.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>’s Nathaniel Thompson, and authors Troy Howarth and Eugenio Ercolani who fill the entire running time very pleasantly. They casually discuss plenty of relevant points of interest about the cast and crew along with references to other <i>polizieschi </i>films, the era in which it was made, Cipriani’s terrific score, and plenty more besides; it’s the usual high standard you’ve come to expect from each of these very knowledgeable gentlemen, and well worth your time.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While it may lack the gritty gusto found in the best of Lenzi, Di Leo or Girolami, <b>MAGNUM COP</b> still amounts to an engaging and satisfying film which generally places dramatics over pyrotechnics, but is further boosted by Joan Collins’ presence and Stelvio Cipriani’s sturdy score. Order your copy from <a href="https://kinolorber.com/product/magnum-cop-poliziotto-senza-paura" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Kino Lorber</span></a> or <a href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/magnum-cop-poliziotto-senza-paura-raro-blu-ray-preorder/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-88847431900476544942023-12-10T01:42:00.000-05:002023-12-10T01:42:00.396-05:00THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE - BLU-RAY REVIEW PART 5<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphkexaPW16lwYxyy-DuQ_60OsVn2onOf-v6cZyBbEZL2VI4L1BTyjIjgezNzFO59lg7WGlqkQemwhhqG2LrTu0KnLQbOb4AYmaItmnE27pvNPWAiC6B7IDsZz1RJLYikAlLgyf7kk8YAk9BK_2qbK6xJ0iT4KesPLmSm8XblsGkd2qDB8yB9Xx7-NKrY/s2936/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2936" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphkexaPW16lwYxyy-DuQ_60OsVn2onOf-v6cZyBbEZL2VI4L1BTyjIjgezNzFO59lg7WGlqkQemwhhqG2LrTu0KnLQbOb4AYmaItmnE27pvNPWAiC6B7IDsZz1RJLYikAlLgyf7kk8YAk9BK_2qbK6xJ0iT4KesPLmSm8XblsGkd2qDB8yB9Xx7-NKrY/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">For the fifth part of our continued look at Severin’s <b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE </b>box set, let’s move onto to disc eleven and <b>AMORE LIBERO – FREE LOVE</b>, directed by former cinematographer Pier Ludovico Pavoni in 1974, a film which is probably best remembered today as Laura Gemser’s big screen debut. Confusingly billed as “Emanuelle” in the film’s opening credits, causing confusion to those who don’t know better, this film could be considered a precursor to the Black Emanuelle films. By virtue of its tropical setting and overall tone, <b><i>AMORE LIBERO</i></b> fits perfectly into the ’70s “exotico erotico” mythos, a rather fascinating example of this short-lived sub-genre of Italian erotica instigated by Ugo Liberatore’s <b>BORA BORA</b> (1968). Francesco (Enzo Bottesini), an Italian engineer and minerals expert, is sent to Esmeraldo (or Emerald Island in the English version) in the Seychelles to help begin the preparation of the Silver Mines Project after his predecessor Giovanni Maistrelli has mysteriously disappeared. Upon his arrival, he works in liaison with the eccentric Mr. Chavad (Venentino Venantini), a Frenchman who worries this new mine will “change the life of the entire archipelago”, but Francesco is soon distracted by the island’s exotic charms when he meets Janine (Laura Gemser), a fascinatingly beautiful islander…</div></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOOAkPi7AP9pzOKo9zg1Jq5WykpYcr53wN3A-MKZip4o0dWKzvQvI9C-kul2a19ZjdOmqEao941rnz_p2gTS3lVdiuMTboDk145rVQSc2Ka0n188qEMgaBi74l3CMDbOqo9Qu_E1KMSSe7gV_2LVHRYlOC6NLYPGFcwzjJoeZNz-ZKuz3xQwDLjoakvI/s2932/2.%20Dinner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2932" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOOAkPi7AP9pzOKo9zg1Jq5WykpYcr53wN3A-MKZip4o0dWKzvQvI9C-kul2a19ZjdOmqEao941rnz_p2gTS3lVdiuMTboDk145rVQSc2Ka0n188qEMgaBi74l3CMDbOqo9Qu_E1KMSSe7gV_2LVHRYlOC6NLYPGFcwzjJoeZNz-ZKuz3xQwDLjoakvI/w400-h216/2.%20Dinner.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although first and foremost a softcore sex film, director Pavoni seems intent on making some kind of serious social commentary about the encroachment of industrialization, and in all fairness, he does manage a few moments of aesthetic ethnic interest including an impressive island-style ‘floating Christmas mass’. In keeping with the film’s “exotico erotico” motif, the script espouses the necessary scenes of interracial sex, and also includes local girls splashing through the shallow beaches with Francesco, while Katia (Olga Bisera), another foreigner “living a natural life” is first seen riding a horse bareback along the serene, picture-perfect beaches. Further typifying the film’s exotic theme, Gemser’s character Janine is not only gorgeous (who looks equally beautiful in several floral-patterned tropical sundresses or nothing at all), but also signifies “something symbolic” and a “serenity” of the island culture, which both Francesco and Chavad likewise desire. However, lurking like leprosy beneath the island’s beauty, “mysterious things happen”, and Francesco is left to ponder the precise significance of Venantini’s character amidst a disconcerting tangle of mistrust, and misinterpretation of truth. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NQBJSSehrV5FTY8gts_y6FIOHRKQX1eaS9dDXjOpfCZ9GQLD7XR3RRLEvzSzuGtOTPIL8kxUFWrukeoxtYAP3G4uA-qoRVAi6PQu3eI08LMsyQkbe4wmkWkrHCSbu9q_SvO-R7QSBoE4GNJpYUtDr76eIX_3FCxF5nNHtS25SW7JngRLVoiGZUpjwgA/s2802/4.%20In%20Love.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="2802" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NQBJSSehrV5FTY8gts_y6FIOHRKQX1eaS9dDXjOpfCZ9GQLD7XR3RRLEvzSzuGtOTPIL8kxUFWrukeoxtYAP3G4uA-qoRVAi6PQu3eI08LMsyQkbe4wmkWkrHCSbu9q_SvO-R7QSBoE4GNJpYUtDr76eIX_3FCxF5nNHtS25SW7JngRLVoiGZUpjwgA/w400-h215/4.%20In%20Love.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although released on DVD as <b>THE REAL EMANUELLE</b> by MYA Communications in 2009, this release was poorly sourced from a sub-standard VHS (complete with tape rolls), which didn’t earn this obscurity any favours whatsoever; even the English subtitles were sloppily transcribed. Thankfully, this now out-of-print DVD, which was fetching far too much money on the over-priced collector’s market, can now be rendered obsolete thanks to Severin’s new immaculate Blu-ray. Taken from the film’s original camera negative, Fausto Rossi’s top-notch cinematography now reveals the island’s lush surroundings with considerable aplomb; it’s really quite outstanding just how good this film now looks. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks in English and Italian also sound clear and vibrant, especially during some of the film’s more threatening passages. Plus, Fabio Frizzi’s spectacular soundtrack (a clear forerunner to Nico Fidenco’s numerous Black Emanuelle scores) also flourishes with the improved audio clarity. The brief – but welcome - extras include <b>The Seductress</b> (9m55s), an audio interview with Olga Bisera who casually chats about her “turbulent life” and crumbling marriage to producer Enzo Gallo prior to her accepting the role in <b><i>AMORE LIBERO</i></b>, which she regarded as a kind of escape. She also describes the film’s tropical paradise, which the entire cast and crew “fell in love” with and her chance meeting with the Prime Minister of Seychelles. The film’s English opening credits (2m00s), and the film’s English export trailer (3m21s) are also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvUPBBmHdy718SC8IR9y28KGRcZwIMI72HY9d_iZsQHHQVA1oI70wbIUlF5GW_HKK3BB2xFQ2LBiFaF__BpUQOmYz-KfBEz-2SrQCpVunH1aH9tKWbBeq6tB0AyyymiLWFCZbxlLW02k94NFuJjB-aLglvMiIRIV3Kv2tp_I6rrEftfQ60aBOl3B5dv0/s2930/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2930" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvUPBBmHdy718SC8IR9y28KGRcZwIMI72HY9d_iZsQHHQVA1oI70wbIUlF5GW_HKK3BB2xFQ2LBiFaF__BpUQOmYz-KfBEz-2SrQCpVunH1aH9tKWbBeq6tB0AyyymiLWFCZbxlLW02k94NFuJjB-aLglvMiIRIV3Kv2tp_I6rrEftfQ60aBOl3B5dv0/w400-h216/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Shifting over to the second film on disc eleven, José María Forqué’s <b><i>LA MUJER DE LA TIERRA CALIENTE</i></b> (1978) or <b>EMANUELLE – A WOMAN FROM A HOT COUNTRY</b> as it is titled here, is one of the least talked-about pictures in Laura Gemser’s vast filmography. Largely filmed in Columbia, two disparate strangers (Stuart Whitman and Laura Gemser) cross paths when they hitch a ride in the back of an empty horse trailer driven by a pair of bickering truckers (Antonio Gamero and Francisco Algora). Initially galaxies apart in both profession and personality, their stories draw their mutually exclusive worlds ever closer to each other…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND7KiGQJ3o3G5gkqxq0Jl6ogJcIs3zHS63Mjt4gv6br2YJ6XU-c-iia-8zqZcuEndCsjPCFWVgsXQSvLi_pHJJrjDuXAzZyIer_h95jW7E2Nc9DRt4D5gJYylv2P0pFAW5w9P_UlnzO1Tskt3-mIM0a6iyLbT6n6myL9FjqqxuSmb0hcuGK90LeSKVN8/s2934/2.%20Stuart%20Whitman.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2934" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND7KiGQJ3o3G5gkqxq0Jl6ogJcIs3zHS63Mjt4gv6br2YJ6XU-c-iia-8zqZcuEndCsjPCFWVgsXQSvLi_pHJJrjDuXAzZyIer_h95jW7E2Nc9DRt4D5gJYylv2P0pFAW5w9P_UlnzO1Tskt3-mIM0a6iyLbT6n6myL9FjqqxuSmb0hcuGK90LeSKVN8/w400-h216/2.%20Stuart%20Whitman.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By no means overly memorable and dramatically rather sluggish in unfolding, both Whitman and Gemser do commit themselves with sincere performances as the two lost souls who have seemingly gone astray in their lives. Unfortunately, the hoary plot devices including the Whitman character’s crumbling marriage, and Gemser’s descent into several loveless relationships (including one with the overly aggressive Don Guillermo [Gabriele Tinti]), are stretched to infinity by interminable talking head drama. Best aspects of this rather heavy-handed melodrama include some arty camerawork by Alejandro Ulloa and a beautiful – but morose – score from <i>maestro</i> Carlo Savina, which adds immeasurably to the film’s leisurely atmosphere. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcHwrE5FBo0w0OYNyqvXWFzqdNkBgO6KBEovb1eetkyg7PpJyQATq7weBBo3TJCZPRdlCD2go32CouAY7G-BqsMV0681eQgU0fymTjv5ch24eSGpch9Mj6lOD9gqPbEatDRM_gh-Y32UNe63MV85Z3k-xqLgX7TcjQ0oAdenDhZnVziMdomtWJ90RpF8/s2922/3.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Stuart%20Whitman.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2922" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcHwrE5FBo0w0OYNyqvXWFzqdNkBgO6KBEovb1eetkyg7PpJyQATq7weBBo3TJCZPRdlCD2go32CouAY7G-BqsMV0681eQgU0fymTjv5ch24eSGpch9Mj6lOD9gqPbEatDRM_gh-Y32UNe63MV85Z3k-xqLgX7TcjQ0oAdenDhZnVziMdomtWJ90RpF8/w400-h216/3.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Stuart%20Whitman.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Given the film’s obscurity, Severin’s new Blu-ray looks terrific, and really does wonders with some of Ulloa’s deliberately soft-focus imagery, especially when compared to Mogul Video’s 1987 U.S. VHS videocassette, which was deceptively retitled <b>FURY</b>. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks include English and Spanish audio with optional English SDH subtitles only. Although it’s great to have this little-seen film finally available in a good-looking home video edition, <b>EMANUELLE – A WOMAN FROM A HOT COUNTRY</b> will be of only minimal interest to most viewers, and would be much less effective without the presence of Laura Gemser.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmj7_SH5yHy8sWLKE9cR6hWfY8cDNy_oTZkpP5kR6fpAfuS9RkA6NRSVUw35BMU7JojzQPIccfX3O43aURIVXvQdo5nJnVqwKUZwTJS6C9SW7OyiM_XHbtuahvEa0X_2No3jBYqD-ZL-hOxSCQXTtSDBxP7OEfkBInxCjn6O3RUGbcreuikQleIJsKdCo/s2816/1.%20Ajita%20Wilson.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="2816" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmj7_SH5yHy8sWLKE9cR6hWfY8cDNy_oTZkpP5kR6fpAfuS9RkA6NRSVUw35BMU7JojzQPIccfX3O43aURIVXvQdo5nJnVqwKUZwTJS6C9SW7OyiM_XHbtuahvEa0X_2No3jBYqD-ZL-hOxSCQXTtSDBxP7OEfkBInxCjn6O3RUGbcreuikQleIJsKdCo/w400-h188/1.%20Ajita%20Wilson.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For disc twelve, Severin shifts its focus to Ajita Wilson, an African-American trans model who made quite a career for herself in European sex films during the ’70s and ’80s, and one of her earliest roles was in Guido Zurli’s <b>BLACK DEEP THROAT</b> (1977). Despite the title’s insinuations to Gerard Damiano’s legendary <b>DEEP THROAT</b> (1972) and something far more sexually explicit, this turns out to be nothing more than an obscure quickie cash-in on the Black Emanuelle films and its star Laura Gemser. Produced by exploitation film mini-mogul Dick Randall, Wilson stars as Claudine, an investigative photojournalist who works for a Parisian “daily rag” that has a lead on an elaborate sex cult involving well-known actor José Depardieu (Ivano Staccioli). However, in one of the film’s more outrageous developments, Claudine’s expose is constantly interrupted by her sudden bouts of uncontrollable nymphomania (“<i>Hey sailor, you doin’ anything?</i>”), a plot point that is comically triggered by the sound of a particular song. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8r59Qy-BQInaXzpaOR6K6EjHtaB2RHmar5iG06g5XhX4hbI9X9k2eIcxh8ZRQ7v1dV84zTq-zaVAOH3wdQKhjrHLHcMziEtj8pXcdHF5xnJ9__OBV6iAM2jTbF881OOsPSyE59isgu_qK8CADoezlceNEufDvx0kxW8Hfmj2SachjdFM75ZOQODoq4Y/s2816/2.%20Guru.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="2816" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8r59Qy-BQInaXzpaOR6K6EjHtaB2RHmar5iG06g5XhX4hbI9X9k2eIcxh8ZRQ7v1dV84zTq-zaVAOH3wdQKhjrHLHcMziEtj8pXcdHF5xnJ9__OBV6iAM2jTbF881OOsPSyE59isgu_qK8CADoezlceNEufDvx0kxW8Hfmj2SachjdFM75ZOQODoq4Y/w400-h190/2.%20Guru.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Having recently appeared in Cesare Canevari’s fascinating <b>THE NUDE PRINCESS</b> (1976), Ajita Wilson once again spends a goodly portion of the running time either all-out nude or in a succession of chic fashions, while every member of the cast falls under the spell of her irresistible allure, which also includes Francine (Agnes Kalpagos), one of the senior members of the cult. The somewhat messy storyline also embraces all the expected porno film scenarios including plenty of vacuous sex, voyeurism, attempted rape, and a big climatic orgy, which pushes its strictly softcore setting to the very edge. Ignoring the film’s obvious imitative streak and some flimsy plot devices (including a visit to a spiritual guru played by lowly character actor Attilio Dottesio), <b>BLACK DEEP THROAT</b> is at least somewhat more watchable and works well enough as a cheap-but effective sex programmer. At one point early in the film, Claudine’s associate editor Angelica (Patricia Webley) states that “viewers are tired of the sex angle without something new involved”, an opinion that some viewers may very well take to heart of said film.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez7wiDCZ4dTWpxL5ENOA9euEyo8lBBa08ngir5CKwHHyEUajwDd0y-6TXySw1-bVNdF2FIhVSiH2ZLTlI3ST9-dSJd9-TwpsUHmpspiYJZzHNk64wCenaxxEMjA3pbECrF-jm8wM8wqVDhDnDcJCp2JOr0XR5Rw38UqLFWR8uTcIGZzNXyTtUWI5IWAU/s2808/3.%20Patricia%20Webley%20and%20Ajita%20Wilson.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2808" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez7wiDCZ4dTWpxL5ENOA9euEyo8lBBa08ngir5CKwHHyEUajwDd0y-6TXySw1-bVNdF2FIhVSiH2ZLTlI3ST9-dSJd9-TwpsUHmpspiYJZzHNk64wCenaxxEMjA3pbECrF-jm8wM8wqVDhDnDcJCp2JOr0XR5Rw38UqLFWR8uTcIGZzNXyTtUWI5IWAU/w400-h190/3.%20Patricia%20Webley%20and%20Ajita%20Wilson.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Never released on U.S. or Canadian home video, Severin have debuted <b>BLACK DEEP THROAT</b> on Blu-ray in its intended 2.35:1 aspect ratio, which looks excellent bringing to light plenty of detail and a very healthy colour palette. On a side note, due to missing film elements, the film’s opening and closing credits were taken from a slightly stretched VHS source, but this really is a minor quibble. The sole audio option is English, which comes through with reasonable depth and clarity in this DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Extras include <b>Ajita Wilson An Elusive Icon</b> (16m03s), another fantastic video essay this time from Film and Gender Studies Scholar Matt Richardson who sheds plenty of light on this once mysterious star. This very well-researched essay (which includes some fabulous film clips, magazine covers, and poster art) goes over her gender affirming surgery in the ’70s, and how she “commands the screen with strength and grace like any blaxploitation heroine of her time”, even if, many of her of films were dominated by “racist and misogynist scripts.” The film’s original Italian trailer (2m17s) finishes off the extras.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHM00n7CAjyh3xOPULoFGj7Hp-MDJVzrJaS965yx31RnaTiXKd8juEnn177cTbOhLToNZoxnDrIaxvkEzsy5SLz_AczS5P3jrqiXrhdbNVSULjtc9owx8Zmv0CSXw-twQwnxd4M_uiuMoOhCAjZuSmuUG6aCY2lyIbOa8PKghUaVDW6nPDk7-wYpFIIc/s2928/1.%20Ajita%20Wilson%20and%20Marina%20Frajese.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2928" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHM00n7CAjyh3xOPULoFGj7Hp-MDJVzrJaS965yx31RnaTiXKd8juEnn177cTbOhLToNZoxnDrIaxvkEzsy5SLz_AczS5P3jrqiXrhdbNVSULjtc9owx8Zmv0CSXw-twQwnxd4M_uiuMoOhCAjZuSmuUG6aCY2lyIbOa8PKghUaVDW6nPDk7-wYpFIIc/w400-h215/1.%20Ajita%20Wilson%20and%20Marina%20Frajese.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Ajita Wilson once again takes the lead in the second film on disc twelve, Joe D’Amato’s <b>PORNO NIGHTS OF THE WORLD No. 2</b> (1978) wherein she plays a sexually-liberated stewardess (for this review, let’s stick with the ’70s vernacular!) who is interviewed during a stopover in Hong Kong by Italian porn star Marina ‘Hedman’/Frajese. Through her busy jet-setting work (“<i>My old job was dreadfully exhausting, but I always enjoyed myself.</i>”), she gained plenty of “new experiences”, which she recounts via several clips from nightclubs around the world, and include everything from innocuous routines like belly dancing, body painting, and a burlesque show with a giant polystyrene penis to more risqué snippets of tribal fertility rituals, S&M shows, and even the obligatory ‘ping-pong ball’ act. As with the other sexy <i>mondo</i> films included within this set, this new 2K scan taken from the original camera negative looks virtually flawless, which is quite astonishing in light of the film’s cut-and-paste quality. English and Italian audio is also included in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks (with optional SDH subtitles), which are clean and quite consistent given the film’s post-synched dialogue. The film’s Italian trailer (3m09s) is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW2KxmIZsvDU2N3t_OYuL0HgqxubVqBN1L5fr5IQUfr4vwWhfT4D7gI2li9SaKuJAoa4QjjqJBMoz9OHPE4tmw20A4v-xeCy3Epru9RinzIXXxYaC9m4JPbT7tYbdeaSEBqKPdpSSom3yFtvaqtH-T_fop9IxUb9acS-uvN-9dLpLtcmBlFHp0aCog-c/s2934/1.%20Joe%20D'Amato.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2934" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW2KxmIZsvDU2N3t_OYuL0HgqxubVqBN1L5fr5IQUfr4vwWhfT4D7gI2li9SaKuJAoa4QjjqJBMoz9OHPE4tmw20A4v-xeCy3Epru9RinzIXXxYaC9m4JPbT7tYbdeaSEBqKPdpSSom3yFtvaqtH-T_fop9IxUb9acS-uvN-9dLpLtcmBlFHp0aCog-c/w400-h225/1.%20Joe%20D'Amato.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Moving onto the final Blu-ray in this set, disc thirteen includes Manlio Gomarasca’s and Massimiliano Zanin’s <b>INFERNO ROSSO – JOE D’AMATO ON THE ROAD TO EXCESS</b> (2021), an absolutely first-rate documentary which focuses on D’Amato’s entire career with a look at all the trends he followed. Through a comprehensive selection of film clips, photos, artwork, and several revealing interviews with his colleagues, friends and family, Gomarasca and Zanin beautifully chart his path from an acclaimed cinematographer to the prolific director he became during the “global movement to wipe out taboos” (i.e., the permissive ’70s). He is unanimously described as “a great craftsman in the best sense of the word”, and the doc also covers his less-talked about – but prolific - production company Filmirage, where as a producer during the mid-to-late ’80s, he acted as a sort of “Italian Roger Corman” and gave aspiring filmmakers and contemporaries alike a chance to work. All-in-all <b>INFERNO ROSSO</b> is an engrossing and moving look at one of the more devoted and consummate professionals from the once thriving Italian film industry. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqsRGptX62ANODrLAwi5Fh-F0Ylzc1pXpBJD__v-Jd6bDFLQbsTMcAqGigyZnn8RViCeYnJ5UszRyRpfDUNqw9lXezTLZCnc0DhSj0_v4_NQMAxnVVv5wQOzl8wl5KBasBLdPCkD00-oUKdSDkjDdY5CHdmmU96DsQozd8LkHglybP1m2QGMbcQqA5vg/s2930/3.%20Michele%20Soavi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="2930" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqsRGptX62ANODrLAwi5Fh-F0Ylzc1pXpBJD__v-Jd6bDFLQbsTMcAqGigyZnn8RViCeYnJ5UszRyRpfDUNqw9lXezTLZCnc0DhSj0_v4_NQMAxnVVv5wQOzl8wl5KBasBLdPCkD00-oUKdSDkjDdY5CHdmmU96DsQozd8LkHglybP1m2QGMbcQqA5vg/w400-h224/3.%20Michele%20Soavi.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Beautifully-produced, <b>INFERNO ROSSO</b> looks great in HD, even if, some of the film clips are taken from standard definition sources. Apart from the interview with director Eli Roth, which is in English, the film is presented in Italian and French with English subtitles, and sounds crystal clear outside of the SD film clips. Further expanding on D’Amato’s legacy, the disc also includes several extras beginning with an awfully-strange introduction from distributor Nicolas Winding-Refn for the film’s Venice International Films Festival premiere (1m27s), and <b>Two of a Kind - Talking About Joe</b> (29m27s), a conversation between Locarno Film Festival’s Giona A. Nazarro and Manlio Gomarasca wherein they discuss their relationship with D’Amato and his extensive career. The disc also includes a substantial number of deleted scenes (36m25s), which offer additional and extended interviews, and a great deal more discussion about his early hardcore films. The doc’s Italian trailer (1m45s) concludes the extras. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhfvR1lMxoY9RaikpkhzUuFmXMHJ9ahSeCraR2kjfAyXfUa_Gx57rj0e9-04pTRqOXibOCYRVXBhaJzbrwM4j4HFJa7pFveZEMH6hbq1mDSumDxECVceEixoFRZ4mRg_NPQ6QO1K0rAPa2T_0A5MwjitqG_yNm2l7NIf9_hQBkR4uKp79AMyCqGSsyWU/s2934/1.%20Jenny%20Tamburi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2934" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhfvR1lMxoY9RaikpkhzUuFmXMHJ9ahSeCraR2kjfAyXfUa_Gx57rj0e9-04pTRqOXibOCYRVXBhaJzbrwM4j4HFJa7pFveZEMH6hbq1mDSumDxECVceEixoFRZ4mRg_NPQ6QO1K0rAPa2T_0A5MwjitqG_yNm2l7NIf9_hQBkR4uKp79AMyCqGSsyWU/w400-h215/1.%20Jenny%20Tamburi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As a bonus, Severin have also included <b>SCANDALOUS EMANUELLE</b> (1986), one of D’Amato’s glossy period-piece erotic films, which he produced for his company Filmirage, which also includes a small role for Laura Gemser. Former ’70s starlet Jenny Tamburi stars as Christina, a wealthy heiress who is in love with her husband Diego (Marino Masé), but is also having an affair with his best friend Andrea (Sebastiano Somma). However, through some “gentle persuasion”, Andrea convinces Christina to periodically work at his brothel, which his partner Francesca (Lilli Carati) oversees, but it soon becomes apparent that Diego’s idea of love is a little different…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cQcL4I9WiggJCMrMvgfNrl_uoeCxeCgx3y2fJ9ojn5SHCO5Uj3FyTsUeVeUz4MbhQ30aeQtH5L3yPj6qI5zU9QQvHOMhERKZmOLp9f4BGjsRsh52Ps8-OUKzp9CSP9VZlwy56AehLUzoldtaEjbHUsS_jwgiU2qDJzFktIou3CNqPV2kTCGNVHzj4dM/s2928/2.%20Lunchtime.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2928" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cQcL4I9WiggJCMrMvgfNrl_uoeCxeCgx3y2fJ9ojn5SHCO5Uj3FyTsUeVeUz4MbhQ30aeQtH5L3yPj6qI5zU9QQvHOMhERKZmOLp9f4BGjsRsh52Ps8-OUKzp9CSP9VZlwy56AehLUzoldtaEjbHUsS_jwgiU2qDJzFktIou3CNqPV2kTCGNVHzj4dM/w400-h216/2.%20Lunchtime.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Tailor-made for late-night cable and video store shelf-filler, <b>SCANDALOUS EMANUELLE</b> or <b>PEEP SHOW</b> (as per its original English export title) weaves a decidedly intricate web of erotic desires, where just about everybody involved has got a dirty secret or illicit demands. Tamburi acquits herself admirably as the sexually frustrated woman who uses her body to entice and influence everyone, which even extends to her best friend Josephine (Gemser), who also declares her love for Christina (“<i>You’re the only person I care for, and I want you so desperately.</i>”) during a tender moment in a dressing room. Although none of the love affairs are very interesting, it’s all elegantly constructed with fine art-direction, which adds a modicum of prestigious veneer to the entire endeavour. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxNA_9NSQU-D6Jhp0HgmbobYbZWJRcXDdu_K8fzNQng6nZa148fgYBNLFNhh4ThjXJTLj02v3VZTCZDvd8h1D83QcDozn5KqlhB2NVEugrbne6PQN14BA1KiAD1zvGl7LgfcfPXPLYet4fhnqMnWtbaUzdgHjK27FxZxmDrurS1qC8xpqjC2EzdImTbg/s2930/3.%20Jenny%20Tamburi%20and%20Sebastiano%20Somma.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2930" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxNA_9NSQU-D6Jhp0HgmbobYbZWJRcXDdu_K8fzNQng6nZa148fgYBNLFNhh4ThjXJTLj02v3VZTCZDvd8h1D83QcDozn5KqlhB2NVEugrbne6PQN14BA1KiAD1zvGl7LgfcfPXPLYet4fhnqMnWtbaUzdgHjK27FxZxmDrurS1qC8xpqjC2EzdImTbg/w400-h215/3.%20Jenny%20Tamburi%20and%20Sebastiano%20Somma.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although Severin was supplied with a new “2K scan provided by Film Export Group”, this appears to have some digital cleanup applied, which isn’t overly distracting since the film has an intentionally soft look already. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 English track is, for the most part, shot using live sound (except for actor Somma who was post-synched by English voice talent John Gayford) and, even though many of the Italian actors speak English with noticeable accents, it’s all relatively clear and intelligible. Also included on the disc are a couple of archival interviews beginning with <b>Scandalous Christina</b> (9m25s) in which Jenny Tamburi discusses her unique name, her fortuitous break into the film industry, and her “erotic appeal.” In <b>Peeping Lilli</b> (12m26s), a frank audio interview with Lilli Carati (handsomely accompanied by various photos, artwork and film clips), she casually chats about her career and her general dislike about the movies she was offered, her addiction problems, the joy of starring in Fernando Di Leo’s <b>TO BE TWENTY</b> (1978), and how she had no qualms about doing nudity. The film’s original English export trailer (under its <b>PEEP SHOW</b> title, 1m52s) is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Predominantly licensed from Italy’s Beat Records, Severin have also included <b>Nico Fidenco’s Groove</b> (45 tracks) and <b>Black Emanuelle’s Rarities and B-Sides</b> (23 tracks), a couple of CDs which comprise discs fourteen and fifteen that contain selected music cues from just about every film in this box, including a nice selection of previously unreleased tracks, which is perfect background music to sit and read <u>The Black Emanuelle Bible</u>, the most significant extra in the entire set. This lavishly-illustrated, 356-page (!) book is a real stunner, and includes several essays and reviews from the likes of Kevin John Bozelka, Costas Constandinides, Rachel Harrison, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Kier-La Janisse, Jennifer Moorman, Xavier Aldana-Reyes, Jorge Rivera-Gutiérrez, Erin Wiegand, Bryan Connolly, and the late, great Craig Ledbetter. Every Black Emnanuelle film and/or variation thereof is thoroughly assessed and examined including films not included in this set, including why they were passed over.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It goes without saying that Severin Films have truly outdone themselves with <b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE</b>, a jaw-droppingly exhaustive, first-class presentation that defies every possible expectation, and remains one of the finest releases in Severin’s mightily impressive catalogue!</span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-547191789981340592023-12-10T01:27:00.001-05:002023-12-18T17:08:35.562-05:00THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE - BLU-RAY REVIEW PART 4<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXGHdoBxUIzm0YLE8VLKOp4MQYEorrHyma3dCQ95I1P0SP6CGLPP2cFvPH1MZ-onhu8o_rGe3DRwvBmoMJcwhRlTVEnyO3uDF8jdW1ibf5VkRNwGpIPMHP3rIub6PzeK_HdjqgcSGkMZ_uGqNbs-1G8M8jut1e7y176TFULttA9r0Duml9DKlUuP3D9Q/s1920/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXGHdoBxUIzm0YLE8VLKOp4MQYEorrHyma3dCQ95I1P0SP6CGLPP2cFvPH1MZ-onhu8o_rGe3DRwvBmoMJcwhRlTVEnyO3uDF8jdW1ibf5VkRNwGpIPMHP3rIub6PzeK_HdjqgcSGkMZ_uGqNbs-1G8M8jut1e7y176TFULttA9r0Duml9DKlUuP3D9Q/w400-h225/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For the fourth part of our continued look at Severin’s <b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE </b>box set, let’s move onto to disc eight and Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE’S PERVERSE OUTBURST</b> (1983) and <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b> (1980), a pair of indecipherable cut-and-paste pictures aimed at the emerging hardcore market in Italy, which are sort of an extension of star Laura Gemser’s exotic exploits in the Black Emanuelle films.But rather than take the time to shoot all-new films, D’Amato instead ransacked his repertoire lugging even his seven-year-old <b>BLACK COBRA</b> out of the dusty vaults and manipulated miles of previously-viewed footage with perhaps a few newly-shot insert scenes. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyes4-ouk9nPFHwEwfKaSk6rq19Udd4MBhTISElgYFWYW7EpTk0aO1-HVIXwBUNelnSl0x6F_ANjLGGWXeq0y7L0ufKk1tOtvFLhYMGCMffhaMP4_6I2NtOspTEthoGQW1uz7sei8hwpj4pFoFFfAe-fc3y9_SnVPsnCXVCXBhnSmwLQigd1iLZBmCwdA/s1920/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Gabriele%20Tinti.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyes4-ouk9nPFHwEwfKaSk6rq19Udd4MBhTISElgYFWYW7EpTk0aO1-HVIXwBUNelnSl0x6F_ANjLGGWXeq0y7L0ufKk1tOtvFLhYMGCMffhaMP4_6I2NtOspTEthoGQW1uz7sei8hwpj4pFoFFfAe-fc3y9_SnVPsnCXVCXBhnSmwLQigd1iLZBmCwdA/w400-h225/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Gabriele%20Tinti.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In <b>EMANUELLE’S PERVERSE OUTBURST</b> (which by the way is credited to ‘John Bird’, a pseudonym that is occasionally used by producer and sometimes director Paolo Moffa, which only adds to the film’s mysterious genesis) leading lady Gemser here appears as Emanuelle in copious amounts of footage from D’Amato’s previously mentioned <b>BLACK COBRA</b>, <b>EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE</b>, and several of his Caribbean-shot hardcore films, as it attempts to weave its way through a convoluted storyline involving arms dealers, elusive double agents (one of whom is played by Gabriele Tinti), and missing microfilms. Gemser’s snake-dance routine from <b>BLACK COBRA</b>, and an extended sex show from <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b>, alongside tons of hardcore sex doesn’t help sort out all the confusing characters, some of which are dubbed in the English version multiple times by the same voice talent artists including the ubiquitous Ted Rusoff.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74Wl0B9y55H5ysjtKdEf6knKCJzBHsn4HYvRuoa-DRXP4GOGeqgQVePCB5pg5_SrwIOgRWWKBV-GlY12HwrlRHdrsAZZYc2f5h_1NTNwtMeW2RZrrKn7kwhfLLMX7q_4bgQnn9Ti1DMKZUNsDniiI02qdeRhipzwghez7fGohKvOaa2IJdaF6TpqHRJU/s2928/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2928" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74Wl0B9y55H5ysjtKdEf6knKCJzBHsn4HYvRuoa-DRXP4GOGeqgQVePCB5pg5_SrwIOgRWWKBV-GlY12HwrlRHdrsAZZYc2f5h_1NTNwtMeW2RZrrKn7kwhfLLMX7q_4bgQnn9Ti1DMKZUNsDniiI02qdeRhipzwghez7fGohKvOaa2IJdaF6TpqHRJU/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A huge amount of the footage seen in the above film was earlier reused by D’Amato in patching together <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b>, another Black Emanuelle wannabe, wherein Eva (Laura Gemser) attempts to uncover a vast drug cartel after her best friend Iris (Annj Goren) is found dead of a drug overdose. Set amidst the shadow world of high-end drug runners, Eva’s investigation eventually leads her to Hong Kong and the Dominican Republic, and a thriving drug empire overseen by someone known as the Counselor. Virtually half of <b>BLACK COBRA</b> has been re-cycled here, albeit with its continuity drastically rearranged including the reworking of Michele Starck’s character from said film into an investigative reporter. Combined with long stretches of hardcore sex with Italian superstud ‘Mark Shannon’/Manlio Cersosimo and several uncomfortable-looking Dominican locals, <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b> is all strung together by composer Alessandro Alessandroni’s effervescent score and a total disregard for any continuity whatsoever, but that’s in no way to say you shouldn’t watch it… perhaps even more than once! </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL3laqlZkERLqUx9YmF7QWwck6DCI_-NcWlwDUTUhEyzF_YwwyNwDVt5ogYgkWkh5ARpemrlZ2mXdoL-dynV9-r91JHXWfw9eSIQIs0AhNCl2jPv92jzN6FObPupIngF9JwKhpQihiJkY0Eqsk-M8GxffTqnOJbj8lv0v-XGlwOtxpj1arf0MJq_9Vxo/s2930/2.%20Beachside%20Picnic.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2930" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL3laqlZkERLqUx9YmF7QWwck6DCI_-NcWlwDUTUhEyzF_YwwyNwDVt5ogYgkWkh5ARpemrlZ2mXdoL-dynV9-r91JHXWfw9eSIQIs0AhNCl2jPv92jzN6FObPupIngF9JwKhpQihiJkY0Eqsk-M8GxffTqnOJbj8lv0v-XGlwOtxpj1arf0MJq_9Vxo/w400-h215/2.%20Beachside%20Picnic.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Released on French Canadian VHS during the ’80s as <b><i>LES DÉCHAÎNEMENT PERVERS DE EMANUELLE</i></b> and <b><i>EMANUELLE À TAHITI</i></b>, respectively, these films bypassed DVD altogether, so it’s no surprise that Severin’s new 2K scans look quite stunning here, especially given the films’ patchwork assembly of previously viewed footage. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks include French (with optional English subtitles) and English on <b>OUTBURST</b>, while <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b> includes Italian (again with optional English subtitles) and English, and despite the abundant choice of audio options, both films remain as incomprehensible as ever no matter what language is chosen! Although, it must be said, it’s always nice to hear familiar voice talent such as Ted Rusoff and Richard McNamara in the English versions trying to navigate through all the silly dialogue. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZipJHa__lAEE6ng8nqwz1mIo3Z2Kz6xkX0s1njGkRo1Au5UFXOjlApo97_aEUdDTH5iEQq4rLZ_8OuH042XwLvu_pm5bdJt1OAYKebTQRFl8x0rrpKouI1_eNXslKwJt3bpG4cZIf1YGTVWs4UHry8DHa0-jnz6bWRnYlqbn_i8vlwbBS8Lbt51lqykc/s2934/3.%20Mark%20Shannon.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2934" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZipJHa__lAEE6ng8nqwz1mIo3Z2Kz6xkX0s1njGkRo1Au5UFXOjlApo97_aEUdDTH5iEQq4rLZ_8OuH042XwLvu_pm5bdJt1OAYKebTQRFl8x0rrpKouI1_eNXslKwJt3bpG4cZIf1YGTVWs4UHry8DHa0-jnz6bWRnYlqbn_i8vlwbBS8Lbt51lqykc/w400-h215/3.%20Mark%20Shannon.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras on disc eight begin with an audio commentary on <b>EMANUELLE’S PERVERSE OUTBURST</b> from author Bryan Connelly and film programmer Amber Adams who expand on the confusing nature of this film and the series itself, some of the cut-and-paste work from D’Amato’s vast filmography, Emanuelle’s “sense of style”, the obligatory presence of Mark Shannon, and the work it takes to try and figure out this muddle of a movie. Bryan and Amber work well together and this easy-going and informative discussion definitely helps to try and clear everything up in the space of the Black Emanuelle series. Next up, actor Mark Shannon is interviewed in <b>The Lovemaker</b> (10m45s) where he speaks about his time working with D’Amato, how he got his pseudonym, the many re-cycled scenes which wound up in other films, a funny anecdote involving Laura Gemser, and much more in this frank and revealing talk. The original English export trailer for <b>PORNO ESOTIC LOVE</b> (3m05s) concludes the extra features.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAnQsuwhwqalUWRALTYKKQD1upGsMsDk9IxijylIJPUrlwRK3Q94_hACL_5Qgu9N95fChyphenhyphenaGIMY28i_egVZcutLUc61ry54rAfZ8GRynjN0w3UIM2Ftcy1y3tYndETppqdTbEOEeqJ0QcrDAIrndEI_w7OQ4GFUXillAwfJEMurRwt7rTZ157QFvg8YU/s2744/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="2744" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAnQsuwhwqalUWRALTYKKQD1upGsMsDk9IxijylIJPUrlwRK3Q94_hACL_5Qgu9N95fChyphenhyphenaGIMY28i_egVZcutLUc61ry54rAfZ8GRynjN0w3UIM2Ftcy1y3tYndETppqdTbEOEeqJ0QcrDAIrndEI_w7OQ4GFUXillAwfJEMurRwt7rTZ157QFvg8YU/w400-h239/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite the alternate video title given here - which brazenly rides the coat-tails of the Black Emanuelle series – <b>DIVINE EMANUELLE</b> (1981), is better known to most viewers under its far-less flashy title of <b>LOVE CAMP</b>. Directed by Christian Anders, a German renaissance man who also wrote and produced the film, <b>DIVINE EMANUELLE</b> (1981) is an amazing, unprecedented slice of Eurotrash (in the truest sense of the word!), which hasn’t received the trash film accolades it so richly deserves. However, it should be noted that this bit of praise is based on the previously-unseen 114-minute ‘director’s cut’ of the film <b>FANATICO… WHEN THE GODDESS CALLS</b>, which Severin have meticulously reconstructed and included alongside the film’s more familiar – and drastically different – 99-minute theatrical cut, both of which are included on disc nine. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeTG_6pjpuXukQgiQ8MmZPte3DSHTdhkwh5pNPB3tF3X5VT1lhoUesPfBAzPBm137a2S505DCw5vlGHcg0_Uep-_i25CCUFIhlcT9fGzy5VFzUs0GH3BJywBx5HMyMEMWCFi2Ak59bhC7fCyvyhE9IkWeE1_i82Ao05dbhBp-Fanj0tAeHJAzwpWAZN4/s2740/2.%20Christian%20Anders.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="2740" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeTG_6pjpuXukQgiQ8MmZPte3DSHTdhkwh5pNPB3tF3X5VT1lhoUesPfBAzPBm137a2S505DCw5vlGHcg0_Uep-_i25CCUFIhlcT9fGzy5VFzUs0GH3BJywBx5HMyMEMWCFi2Ak59bhC7fCyvyhE9IkWeE1_i82Ao05dbhBp-Fanj0tAeHJAzwpWAZN4/w400-h240/2.%20Christian%20Anders.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Frenetic, outright, <i>bizarro</i> meld of the once popular Guyana / Jim Jones craze (i.e., Rene Cardona’s <b>GUYANA, CULT OF THE DAMNED</b> [1979] and Umberto Lenzi’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/eaten-alive-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">EATEN ALIVE!</span></a></b> [1980]) with the light-hearted appeal of a German sex-report film, <b>DIVINE EMANUELLE</b> goes beyond the usual trash film scenarios. Anders stars as Dorian, a smooth-talking recruiter who lures young girls into joining The Children of Light, a sex-obsessed cult located somewhere in Cyprus. When Patricia (Simone Brahman), his latest newcomer (and daughter of a prominent U.S. senator [Maximilian Wolters]) is indoctrinated into the cult, he soon becomes love-struck with his latest recruit, which eventually raises hostilities between him and the cult’s enigmatic leader and self-proclaimed prophet, The Divine One (Laura Gemser). </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7SMGDV2B8tDoR2O-QgSsKfSFwm_KL2ywChGbwSC9kmM8TE0Q4v2Z7PwQSebTv2BTC_tVN2m0BxiIuLL46pHKK_G86iPYtICHlgeaZcVoy8FOE3nTEscy_hMlj9-qTr847F8-Ta_KCxQtMr9dL7du3oGU4-ooh8zsj0Ja_x7E1YgF554wEMRimupqK2U/s2734/4.%20Dinner%20Time.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2734" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7SMGDV2B8tDoR2O-QgSsKfSFwm_KL2ywChGbwSC9kmM8TE0Q4v2Z7PwQSebTv2BTC_tVN2m0BxiIuLL46pHKK_G86iPYtICHlgeaZcVoy8FOE3nTEscy_hMlj9-qTr847F8-Ta_KCxQtMr9dL7du3oGU4-ooh8zsj0Ja_x7E1YgF554wEMRimupqK2U/w400-h240/4.%20Dinner%20Time.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Steeped in messy soap opera and some occasional kinky sex, Anders packs in as much lunacy into the proceedings as he can, including some out-of-left-field musical interludes and an irresistibly catchy main title theme (which he also wrote and composed!), which are crucial to the film’s overall whacky ambiance. Promoted in most publicity materials as the film’s main selling point, Laura Gemser is quietly menacing as the svelte cult leader (“<i>The Divine One is everything!</i>”), who derives pleasure from watching her muscle-bound Grecian goon Tanga (Sacha Borishenko) administer “twenty lashes of the whip” to any rebellious followers. However, Gemser’s appearance herein is merely secondary to Anders’ role as the conflicted Dorian, who at his best, chews the scenery aplenty, allowing viewers to saviour his distinctly oddball charisma, where he even gets to partake in some sloppy kung-fu. Despite the potentially controversial material, Anders serves it all up with such non-hypocritical gusto that you actually find yourself enjoying its sleazy, unforgettable charms. Despite the brief extras, which include some deleted scenes (2m30s) and the film’s English export trailer (“<i>A free for all sex cult designed to intrigue you…</i>”), Severin have gone above and beyond with disc nine and their new reconstruction of this neglected trash classic. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8c89kwfa8yFnq1Q3WWYndl7uI7k8TluGKee38dr_9i08LK2a4LJj1y1rvX3ygrBSHF32w9uvIpeR0auJ0gQ1igvyhtbpl3jh8m7b2AYjtkbEdpitywWRhwavuaCiXSdEaKtFaOJktfa-BRMUkteENS9Md1kKyJZZuglFkBe4bLF9HsDhYiODs_yg5-8/s2750/1.%20Vengeance!.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8c89kwfa8yFnq1Q3WWYndl7uI7k8TluGKee38dr_9i08LK2a4LJj1y1rvX3ygrBSHF32w9uvIpeR0auJ0gQ1igvyhtbpl3jh8m7b2AYjtkbEdpitywWRhwavuaCiXSdEaKtFaOJktfa-BRMUkteENS9Md1kKyJZZuglFkBe4bLF9HsDhYiODs_yg5-8/w400-h240/1.%20Vengeance!.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">An early proponent of the DVD format, budget label Simitar Entertainment released Bruno Fontana’s <b>THE DIRTY SEVEN</b> (1982) on disc in 1999, a title which has since been endlessly bootlegged, so it’s nice to see Severin give this enjoyable – but admittedly minor actioner – some respect on disc ten. Based upon Fontana’s own novel, <u>The Time of the Wild Beasts</u>, this Italian/Greek co-production shot entirely in Cyprus boosts long-time character actor Angelo Infanti to the lead role alongside Laura Gemser, his co-star from <b>BLACK EMANUELLE</b>. A crack commando unit led by Falk (Angelo Infanti), whose trigger finger is even looser than his tongue (“<i>I should have shot her in her twat!</i>”), are on the run after completing a high-risk mission, but like some ill omen foreshadowing their violent near future, local girl Sheila (Laura Gemser) has plans of her own for this group of bloodthirsty mercenaries…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZZRrFInrSSHwNKnroaxJkis4z0iRQI3tI5Z1xnPuJc2-dEbKfAGI8Ab83dDCQ5zeSyHgSEizUY5nrrsbxbj3cfBmaBkqJsvOk8hf0PbpMisNiQqJlB3hyphenhyphenxAf19mPfB1iZ8vbHdEs1LXdFqxfNEx_rNWEO2qtxpecnW65zWrhQkV31aQP3B8V0WRIkwA/s2750/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Gabriele%20Tinti.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="2750" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZZRrFInrSSHwNKnroaxJkis4z0iRQI3tI5Z1xnPuJc2-dEbKfAGI8Ab83dDCQ5zeSyHgSEizUY5nrrsbxbj3cfBmaBkqJsvOk8hf0PbpMisNiQqJlB3hyphenhyphenxAf19mPfB1iZ8vbHdEs1LXdFqxfNEx_rNWEO2qtxpecnW65zWrhQkV31aQP3B8V0WRIkwA/w400-h241/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Gabriele%20Tinti.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Confusingly retitled <b>EMANUELLE QUEEN OF THE DESERT</b> to try and cash-in on the presence of Laura Gemser, Fontana’s script predominantly accents mind games over action between the two-timing soldiers and their adversary Sheila. A local farmer (Gabriele Tinti) recruited as the soldiers’ impromptu guide, keeps vigil on Sheila’s mysterious activities as she plays the men against each other using her sexuality (“<i>She’s a tigress and I’m a lion! We’ll fuck like beasts in the jungle!</i>” remarks Falk). Brimming with unapologetic mean-spiritedness (“<i>Murder is tattooed on your stinking soul!</i>”), the film’s tension runs high, and Gemser smoulders with a volcanic, pouting intensity, as she quietly pursues her vengeance among this group of smug, self-assured mercenaries enveloped in their own criminal omnipotence.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_MuKZS3AGm65irYFqYqfVcv4mq0Lc3LkM28MHchjS-z4Wn1-U427ZjxCQA38Ol5Y9H6PKAErHvJn1PX3PzZMfw-6ur0KC5LRMrgPR5c31RF_-lknKwg-BvvHJeQZMWyBFMp7sNZpv4MQu19PpbRrXpGH23MFqVHr3iM7On9k0DCZCRGpja6SrbCFiN0/s2756/3.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="2756" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_MuKZS3AGm65irYFqYqfVcv4mq0Lc3LkM28MHchjS-z4Wn1-U427ZjxCQA38Ol5Y9H6PKAErHvJn1PX3PzZMfw-6ur0KC5LRMrgPR5c31RF_-lknKwg-BvvHJeQZMWyBFMp7sNZpv4MQu19PpbRrXpGH23MFqVHr3iM7On9k0DCZCRGpja6SrbCFiN0/w400-h240/3.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although usually regarded as a throwaway title within Gemser’s filmography, Severin have spared no expense delivering a fine presentation of this generally overlooked film, streaks, scratches and all. The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track also sounds relatively clean given the source material with Paolo Rustichelli’s simple but effective synth score adding to the overall edgy ambiance. While <b>EMANUELLE QUEEN OF THE DESERT</b>, the slightly shorter, non-linear version of the film plays in favour of Gemser’s character Sheila, Severin have also included <b>THE DIRTY SEVEN</b>, which is eight minutes longer. The differences are quite substantial with this version playing out in chronological order (Gemser’s character isn’t introduced until the halfway point in the film), and includes an extended – and far more distressing - rape scene. Other extras include <b>Violent Cyprus</b> (21m57s), an interview with actor Giovanni Brusatori who goes over a “quick re-cap” of his career including his directing stint on <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/07/escape-from-womens-prison-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">ESCAPE FROM WOMEN’S PRISON</span></a></b> (1978), the genesis of <b>THE DIRTY SEVEN</b> and his relationship with Bruno Fontana, the invaluable help of DP Nino Celeste, the benefit of having Greek-born Vassili Karis on set, working with the “beautiful exotic girl” Laura Gemser, and Tinti’s “sincere and spontaneous” working methods. Nino Celeste also has plenty of nice things to say about Gemser in <b>Sunlight and Violence</b> (15m42s) whom he recalls as being “nice and very reserved” in a film which he regards as a “mixed-bag with some interesting elements.” He also discusses Fontana’s technical incompetence, working around the extreme Cyprus heat, and many of the lighting techniques he used. The spoiler-laden English export trailer (3m42s) is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1uG33tXyjFdsDU2aoy8S8LM27_nbl2Ud6gZUUcxhl6C0QRq5cEMZJlbxMphsrdNmUxu3rQZ5PRY62TAMawY6fqteNdHuKGcnV6wWpskhYDv3pmgTfZHYjDoTCWrlMyoyHPzryXj_nCghc1XDkQk-H9WIq9SeQxYSebB1ebF4c4JiJEamSg9MBFr2its/s2010/4.%20Looking%20Good.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2010" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1uG33tXyjFdsDU2aoy8S8LM27_nbl2Ud6gZUUcxhl6C0QRq5cEMZJlbxMphsrdNmUxu3rQZ5PRY62TAMawY6fqteNdHuKGcnV6wWpskhYDv3pmgTfZHYjDoTCWrlMyoyHPzryXj_nCghc1XDkQk-H9WIq9SeQxYSebB1ebF4c4JiJEamSg9MBFr2its/w400-h328/4.%20Looking%20Good.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">However, the most significant extra included on disc ten is the inclusion of <b>LOOKING GOOD</b> (60m58s), an ’80s aerobics video produced by Dick Randall for his Spectacular Trading Co. and directed by his wife Corliss Randall. Hosted by Gemser (here dubbed by prominent voice talent artist Carolyn De Fonseca), she appears periodically throughout the video discussing the benefits of proper exercise (“<i>My job requires me to keep fit and look good. My body must be attractive and sexy.</i>”) while sitting in a rattan chair similar to the one seen in <b>BLACK COBRA</b> and in all of that film’s promotional material, an image which itself was stolen from Jaeckin’s <b>EMMANUELLE</b>. Barely released on home video, this wholly unique curiosity piece was released on VHS videocassette by Intercontinental Film & Video Enterprises, a Canadian based adult film label, which should give you an idea who this video was really meant for with its sexually suggestive stretches and exercises. Severin’s new transfer of this shot-on-video obscurity looks infinitely better than any previous VHS edition, and also includes another entertaining audio commentary, this time with film historian and academic Amanda Reyes and The Hysteria Continues’ Erik Threlfall, in which they enthusiastically discuss the fitness craze of the ’80s and the “interesting elements that aerobicizing brought to the decade, the film’s cast and crew including choreographer Marit Beck and director Corliss Randall, and other fitness-themed films such as James Bridges’ <b>FITNESS</b> (1985). </span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-37066474686375202412023-12-10T01:15:00.000-05:002023-12-10T01:15:18.168-05:00THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE - BLU-RAY REVIEW PART 3<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoX43sNG52YWDYdAQfVQdf83X2-DC_pl9UNiJnUrAtH4FQVnre3gjuMylUMvaqfur17CRtM9BImGLAOaEsd-ES2L7Cuu3nSgK6YUI-z5pUUSafde7k4BzlZdOKuehGpvF8eZ3DZbJ6VVJAEZ-UasxxCXdjQrGK8RJYzxzidhzFdvy8jvC4PQOjrqYu0E0/s1920/1.%20Franca%20Stoppi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoX43sNG52YWDYdAQfVQdf83X2-DC_pl9UNiJnUrAtH4FQVnre3gjuMylUMvaqfur17CRtM9BImGLAOaEsd-ES2L7Cuu3nSgK6YUI-z5pUUSafde7k4BzlZdOKuehGpvF8eZ3DZbJ6VVJAEZ-UasxxCXdjQrGK8RJYzxzidhzFdvy8jvC4PQOjrqYu0E0/w400-h225/1.%20Franca%20Stoppi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Like his earlier nunsploitation twofer, <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-other-hell-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE OTHER HELL</span></a></b> (1980) and <b>THE TRUE STORY OF THE NUN OF MONZA</b> (198), disc six features Bruno Mattei’s <b>VIOLENCE IN A WOMEN’S PRISON</b> (1982) and <b>EMANUELLE IN PRISON</b> (1983), which were helmed jointly alongside each other with frequent collaborator Claudio Fragasso. <b><span lang="EN-US">VIAWP</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> follows the standard WIP template to a tee without ever straying outside the lines. Sent to prison for an unspecified stretch for drugs and prostitution, Laura Kendall (Laura Gemser) is soon witness to the usual acts of humiliation, subjugation, beatings and other such ‘niceties’ common to the women-in-prison genre; which are, more often than not, instigated by the head prison guard Rescaut (Franca Stoppi from <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2017/08/beyond-darkness-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">BEYOND THE DARKNESS</span></a></b> [a.k.a. <b>BUIRED ALIVE</b>, 1979]) and the quietly authoritarian warden, Delores (Lorraine De Selle). At first, Laura merely calmly observes the brutality on display from the sidelines, but she herself eventually becomes drawn into and embroiled in the prison milieu too, and in one of the film’s more memorably disgusting scenes, she dumps a bucket of excrement over a prison guard’s head (“<i>I gave you an order! Obey it!</i>”), resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind, shit-strewn scuffle on the prison floor. Thrown into solitary confinement, she is soon hungrily chewed upon by nasty red-eyed rats during a scene where Gemser appears to be squirming in all-too-genuine discomfort, which only adds extra exploitation verisimilitude to an already sleazy, downbeat scenario. The requisite sympathetic doctor (Gabriele Tinti), himself also an inmate at the men’s prison located – handily – right next door (!?), naturally comes to Laura’s rescue, but, sure enough, one of the prison snitches (Italian porn starlet Françoise Perrot) soon discovers Laura’s covert true identity and motivations, which as a result sees still more indignities being heaped upon her…</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqV4hhw4_sd-6cj_eM4_wq30uv8IFwEWcOhkEhy60LELNch-g8Z9GSvUFIpp0-lnXpuzdSvN-E-dNvnjJ21IPJY71UnUoO9_CwJDm38x9ClpR6vFbUV2EUjJWAyZEItwJ93LH4e-c_jw8skd612bDslGxlvKmL5jbgE0gsztV6C0jtKDCJmQtgUkGiSw/s1920/2.%20Franca%20Stoppi.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqV4hhw4_sd-6cj_eM4_wq30uv8IFwEWcOhkEhy60LELNch-g8Z9GSvUFIpp0-lnXpuzdSvN-E-dNvnjJ21IPJY71UnUoO9_CwJDm38x9ClpR6vFbUV2EUjJWAyZEItwJ93LH4e-c_jw8skd612bDslGxlvKmL5jbgE0gsztV6C0jtKDCJmQtgUkGiSw/w400-h225/2.%20Franca%20Stoppi.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While ostensibly an unofficial <i>Emanuelle</i> entry, Mattei’s film is far removed from Joe D’Amato’s rather playful, globetrotting skinflicks. Shot in-and-around what appears to be a large abandoned villa, <b>VIAWP</b> is steeped in a morbid sense of decay and hopelessness. Even the sparsely-decorated DePaolis Studios sets are suitably grubby, another aspect that further augments the overall depressing atmosphere. Of course, being a Mattei film, it never fails to entertain, really piling-on the sexploitation staples throughout its almost 100-minute running time. The director also inserts plenty of sleaze in-between all the violence and, in one of film’s more stylish sequences, cons seek solace in each other’s arms during a montage of Sapphic couplings set to appropriate synth-’n’-sax ‘mood muzak’ courtesy of Luigi Ceccarelli. At the time of the film’s release, Gemser had been an established presence in Italian cinema for a number of years already, and she gives a committed performance (once again dubbed by English voice-talent Pat Starke) as the bruised-and-battered heroine and, as with their earlier co-starring roles, she and Tinti generate plenty of believable onscreen chemistry. As expected, Franca Stoppi also puts in another lively, over-the-top performance, adding to the film’s delirious temperament. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBK-PRw-aqTnHC4CldwgGPAQcfw22TFkiLSX-RBqBgVJB4OvYmyivhMehM1csv60XrhgL33-oHwjt1CDJOXbDFP8uZ2DrSRq7jB9hI2TW2qEWlwfbK6HgHgPN1YYKuKnDYRd5GWGmdbGLqmfwrsZ6Ps7EpvSh0LPgpB_5LuwHa2M26b3x1i_jS7BFz6o/s1920/3.%20Lorraine%20De%20Selle.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBK-PRw-aqTnHC4CldwgGPAQcfw22TFkiLSX-RBqBgVJB4OvYmyivhMehM1csv60XrhgL33-oHwjt1CDJOXbDFP8uZ2DrSRq7jB9hI2TW2qEWlwfbK6HgHgPN1YYKuKnDYRd5GWGmdbGLqmfwrsZ6Ps7EpvSh0LPgpB_5LuwHa2M26b3x1i_jS7BFz6o/w400-h225/3.%20Lorraine%20De%20Selle.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Released theatrically and on video simultaneously in the U.S. as <b>CAGED WOMEN</b> in 1984 by both MPM and Vestron Video, respectively, <b>VIAWP </b>film made its official DVD debut in 2002 courtesy of Shriek Show, and was for the time, a nice-looking disc. In 2018, Severin decided to revisit Mattei’s squalid little film with a new “2K scan from an uncensored inter-positive”, which still retains the adequate amount of natural film grain and some surprising colourfully-composed shots, which nonetheless doesn’t take away from the <i>filthy</i> atmosphere on display in abundance. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 also sounds very good, with all of the post-synched dialogue coming through loud-’n’-clear. Extras included <b>Brawl in Women’s Block</b> (29m03s), an on-camera interview with Claudio Fragasso and his wife and frequent collaborator Rosella Drudi, who discuss their humble beginnings working together when they “learned to do everything” on a film set, their initial collaboration with Mattei on the two-pack of aforementioned nun films, and the “successful formula” of shooting their films back-to-back, their mutual admiration for Gemser, as well as many of the other actors in the film… and, be ready for their camera-hungry cat, Milo, who photo-bombs the proceedings to share some unexpected screen time with its humans! The disc also included an archival (and re-edited) interview with Mattei (2m47s) which originally appeared on Shriek Show’s DVD, the film’s 30-second radio spot (“<i>A bizarre world of violence where anything goes!</i>”) and reversible cover art featuring two quite striking choices. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34jyXBpMdMajisFCzeY6kzK4PQFvqDAPnxPu2z8AsOMNfG5yQGGnGs3U9Xb8ATX-0jDatBxEdwIi7ylC_d8GPGxrXIW-1gcPyR096zKAtJfdqUKYlgHmzq9c1ybegr4WwD8Y46awz9mE9T3NPx27pAaKUN1GI0kQWnWLBRhfbDWKvFnra70kjkdSL_wk/s1920/4.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20some%20rats.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34jyXBpMdMajisFCzeY6kzK4PQFvqDAPnxPu2z8AsOMNfG5yQGGnGs3U9Xb8ATX-0jDatBxEdwIi7ylC_d8GPGxrXIW-1gcPyR096zKAtJfdqUKYlgHmzq9c1ybegr4WwD8Y46awz9mE9T3NPx27pAaKUN1GI0kQWnWLBRhfbDWKvFnra70kjkdSL_wk/w400-h225/4.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20some%20rats.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For Severin’s present restoration on Blu, another 2K scan was prepared, which is surprising as their previous Blu looked very good, indeed. <b>Brawl in Women’s Block</b>, the Mattei interview, and the radio spot are once again included, but Severin have also secured an interview with producer Roberto Di Girolamo in <b>Two for One</b> (11m50s) who shares his thoughts on his and Mattei’s numerous collaborations and the director’s professionalism, Mattei and Fragasso’s relationship, and the film’s continued popularity. The film’s original Italian trailer (with optional English subtitles, 3m49s) is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c0YE7_7ygijD6WSya7EmHn9nCBCuwEfnV4-4FrZPooWk2S_XowMSMTln-3vuPxQEKwwZabTe8FigTwYWuKgRDOWeNeVOtM78GxyBJOwH1hquMCyvESlcAMB19F4S4TZePJ0541N3HbDZA8ayQvayFR4owDc-9McNTks4opjepFMGpqKLvzQJUPb24rs/s1431/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1431" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c0YE7_7ygijD6WSya7EmHn9nCBCuwEfnV4-4FrZPooWk2S_XowMSMTln-3vuPxQEKwwZabTe8FigTwYWuKgRDOWeNeVOtM78GxyBJOwH1hquMCyvESlcAMB19F4S4TZePJ0541N3HbDZA8ayQvayFR4owDc-9McNTks4opjepFMGpqKLvzQJUPb24rs/w400-h216/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Not content to make just one women-in-prison picture, Gemser is back behind bars in <b>EMANUELLE IN PRISON</b>, an unrelated, but structurally similar companion film. After threatening to expose a highly-corrupt District Attorney (Jacques Stany), intrepid reporter Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) finds herself in prison due to a trumped-up drug possession charge. In prison, Emanuelle must not only contend with the usual bull-dykes and sadistic female guards, but in furtherance of the District Attorney’s sly schemes, he orders the prison’s equally corrupt warden (Lorraine De Selle) to try and make her disappear with the help of Albina (a scene-stealing Ursula Flores), the prison’s bitchy top dog and underhanded snitch. However, four extremely violent male prisoners led by the psychotic Crazy Boy (Gabriele Tinti) take control of the prison during a routine transfer resulting in strained psychological warfare and bloody violence…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhph6Bhq6VwuEXCdSS2l6x5X0gSlcAKpnlN-hdqmHYzK8S58sEZ1CoWh-2wxmAxHyC_oxlkg3QYSKxW5E2vrfp8z-01AvwqD7rLslagooW2B0GvI1mv_Cl6EOByp0qayi4bgMfQI6j9twkiKhymv7dji5YLoI4MssqD7KYKrRLdrpjRVWHyqQqAKiWg0d8/s1431/3.%20Taken%20Hostage.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1431" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhph6Bhq6VwuEXCdSS2l6x5X0gSlcAKpnlN-hdqmHYzK8S58sEZ1CoWh-2wxmAxHyC_oxlkg3QYSKxW5E2vrfp8z-01AvwqD7rLslagooW2B0GvI1mv_Cl6EOByp0qayi4bgMfQI6j9twkiKhymv7dji5YLoI4MssqD7KYKrRLdrpjRVWHyqQqAKiWg0d8/w400-h216/3.%20Taken%20Hostage.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Incorporating several ingredients from <b>VIOLENCE IN A WOMEN’S PRISON</b>, the film’s opening credits are a real eye-catcher, which combines arty, expressionist-styled lighting with existential monologues from several of the film’s prisoners. Set to a sombre, piano-driven synth score from Luigi Ceccarelli, the film’s gloomy, downbeat scenario if firmly established, but in a unique first for an Italo trash film, this jailhouse stage show also takes great pains to try and humanize it’s cast of women behind bars. That being said, director Fragasso (the film’s true director despite the film’s on-screen credit attributed to Frenchman Gilbert Roussel) introduces all the standard women-in-prison elements like lesbianism, catfights, numerous cellblock riots, and lots of lurid dialogue (“<i>I’d like to bite your nipples off</i>! exclaims Emanuelle). Further (in)human behavior between captors and captives ensues when the prison is taken over by Crazy Boy and his accomplices including rape, switchblade stand-offs, Russian roulette (!), and plenty of bloody shotgun blasts. Cutting back and forth at predictably regular intervals between all the extreme violence, a battalion of Italo starlets lounge around in constant states of partial undress, while cries of ecstasy or agony reverberate down the penitentiary halls, in what amounts to a perfect mix of softcore sex pic and skeevy actioner. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfBEtyUx1BE9DIQUW0wgCpY2W4Xtww2ul0uGOZugJndXhGDQaMcYn_-usVB92n7-653c_N6rDyCt9B9K0GETVL__Jui77QKQjfnmcuDw9gMCiHfgfnY13qR-klgjlIAhvG6u0z_sfLxJ5C7_fBp9E7OFaePJing7eBYwSVxKu3A5RZO2cKqmzs7T2D2U/s1431/5.%20Attacked!.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1431" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfBEtyUx1BE9DIQUW0wgCpY2W4Xtww2ul0uGOZugJndXhGDQaMcYn_-usVB92n7-653c_N6rDyCt9B9K0GETVL__Jui77QKQjfnmcuDw9gMCiHfgfnY13qR-klgjlIAhvG6u0z_sfLxJ5C7_fBp9E7OFaePJing7eBYwSVxKu3A5RZO2cKqmzs7T2D2U/w400-h216/5.%20Attacked!.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Released on VHS in 1987 by the ubiquitous Vestron Video (“<i>Maximum security. Maximum terror.</i>”) as <b>WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE</b>, this was eventually issued on DVD twice by Shock-O-Rama Cinema. The first edition was heavily edited, but then in 2008, a 2-disc set included a newly-remastered uncut version paired up with <b>CAGED WOMEN</b>. In 2015, it quietly surfaced on Blu-ray as <b>WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE</b> courtesy of Scream Factory in an excellent – but bare-bones – release, which makes Severin’s extras-laden Blu-ray all the more welcome. Severin’s David Gregory confirmed on the Severin Films Podcast that this 2K scan from the film’s original camera negative was the same source used for Scream’s earlier Blu, which by the way, looks quite impressive with nicely-balanced textures and a richness to the, at times, exaggerated colour schemes. Once again, the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 English audio track features all the usual voice-talent including Carolyn De Fonseca, Ted Rusoff, Susan Spafford, and Pat Starke who voices Gemser yet again. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAtHX5TPqH7q371Y-DJBbaNmVZU3dDZgHQO8yyiJAnN5Vdl6TEQ1LpzX4_xXlbh20y235BDES_PrHn9UmmrtAjT_gWMcJTbQ0n5_LZg29RKG4v0v9zteBN_2PiEH8RvCPZ9M-Azqvs0ecn4NESKaoBftD704anfwgGQZPgrMW6V1L1e14rg-sk-cGnlI/s1432/6.%20Scream%20for%20Help.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1432" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAtHX5TPqH7q371Y-DJBbaNmVZU3dDZgHQO8yyiJAnN5Vdl6TEQ1LpzX4_xXlbh20y235BDES_PrHn9UmmrtAjT_gWMcJTbQ0n5_LZg29RKG4v0v9zteBN_2PiEH8RvCPZ9M-Azqvs0ecn4NESKaoBftD704anfwgGQZPgrMW6V1L1e14rg-sk-cGnlI/w400-h215/6.%20Scream%20for%20Help.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are plentiful extras beginning with an audio commentary from Bleeding Skull’s Annie Choi and film editor Perri Pivovar who share their thoughts on the film’s odd opening, it’s “different sensibilities” and slow burn approach to the material, it’s tenuous connection to the other film’s in the series, Mattei’s and Fragasso’s directing style, and their general admiration for the film. Composer Luigi Ceccarelli is then interviewed in <b>Jailhouse Rock</b> (39m02s) who goes over the “academic aspects of studying music”, his fortuitous meeting and long-time collaboration with Mattei, Fragasso, and Fragasso’s wife and writing partner Rossella Drudi, the intricacies of scoring a film, the technological advances within the business, and of course, scoring <b>WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE</b>. In <b>Razor Blade Smile</b> (14m00s), actor Pietro Angelo Pozzato talks about his entry into the business and his first films with director D’Amato, and how Fragasso “let him go all over the place” in what amounts to one of the film’s most hilariously histrionic performances. The great Franca Stoppi is then interviewed in <b>Matron of Hell</b> (17m13s) wherein she discusses her lengthy theatrical career, her numerous film roles, her marriage to fellow screen actor Simone Matteoli (who appeared in Andrea Bianchi’s zombie gutmuncher <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2016/04/burial-ground-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">BURIAL GROUND</span></a></b> [1980]), and how she is best remembered for her numerous “unhinged performances.” The film’s original English export trailer (3m53s) under its <b>BLADE VIOLENT</b> title is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_iHyoeSPcRrMId31KX0MRZYoL9E6kgk2DWWWg0A27NBxAfjfPJ6Ua1zAgsfA88_l5SGvAKVkTd-rW_ZMchurGjr_GWOLqbb2rmE80MiswFXixSfIdMx348Q7Nu9_sNfTtxQGbHkoG78x3W_cWuZ35cDXn5XzOUFOZTrtFG_s17z9Pfzm01nVAPyztmE/s2934/1.%20Jack%20Palance.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="2934" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_iHyoeSPcRrMId31KX0MRZYoL9E6kgk2DWWWg0A27NBxAfjfPJ6Ua1zAgsfA88_l5SGvAKVkTd-rW_ZMchurGjr_GWOLqbb2rmE80MiswFXixSfIdMx348Q7Nu9_sNfTtxQGbHkoG78x3W_cWuZ35cDXn5XzOUFOZTrtFG_s17z9Pfzm01nVAPyztmE/w400-h214/1.%20Jack%20Palance.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">With disc six concluding the official Black Emanuelle films proper, disc seven commences with the many “apocryphal” films starring Laura Gemser. These titles (which comprise the rest of the box set) were more often than not erroneously credited as a Black Emanuelle picture to help capitalize on Gemser’s growing popularity, and one of the more widely-seen examples was Joe D’Amato’s <b>BLACK COBRA</b> (1976). Arriving in Hong Kong for one of her famous snake-themed stage shows, exotic dancer Eva (Laura Gemser) is befriended at the airport by Jules Carmichael (Gabriele Tinti), who promises to show Eva the Hong Kong she doesn’t know. Jules’ brother Judas (Jack Palance), an eccentric industrialist living in Hong Kong, just happens to have an unhealthy obsession with snakes (“<i>I think you really prefer those damn snakes to people!</i>”) whose luxurious apartment is filled with a variety of slithery reptiles. When Jules and Judas catch one of Eva’s infamous shows, Judas is immediately smitten (“<i>I like the scent of you.</i>”) and invites her to stay at his place, showering her with gifts and his odd sense of affection. However, just when everything seems settled, Eva’s predilection for the female form, and Jules’ duplicitous behaviour gradually erode this short-lived – and somewhat strained - arrangement…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkQ3D0RLmwpsrTtvM0W6zh3xHhQIoJS2XZJ_2uRDHFj3tmc9XfS8mLOS_TOjmCnX6cxzepd-0V1024AeiWvpgB1NSJX1AvZFw-lFH3aaajgNQG5v61Bi60iRd8By1A5JuXDRq3vT_IAYT5anb_v3chC6TVeOKD98w8AvJccID3biCNUqe4Kw36SQtGWc/s2922/3.%20Gemser%20Rattan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="2922" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkQ3D0RLmwpsrTtvM0W6zh3xHhQIoJS2XZJ_2uRDHFj3tmc9XfS8mLOS_TOjmCnX6cxzepd-0V1024AeiWvpgB1NSJX1AvZFw-lFH3aaajgNQG5v61Bi60iRd8By1A5JuXDRq3vT_IAYT5anb_v3chC6TVeOKD98w8AvJccID3biCNUqe4Kw36SQtGWc/w400-h215/3.%20Gemser%20Rattan.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Seldom having looked more radiant than she does here, it’s no wonder that Palance’s character idolizes her, even if, only as another objectified female fantasy figure (“<i>It’s nice to be appreciated, rather than collected!</i>” remarks Eva). Casually moving along to the sounds of Piero Umiliani’s mellow rhythms, what begins as typical softcore titillation with several highly-charged erotic tableaus (including a lengthy soapy shower scene), soon develops into a treacherous powerplay when Eva’s new girlfriend Gerri (Michele Starck) and Jules’ jealousy threatens the odd status quo, all of which leads to an unforgettable ending where other films of this ilk dare to venture. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1bXPjJLLJRqgnjDeJNA6ZVAwgQOVtt6C72L8sBd4bxqyHHLZ0AEX4B4JKqgFxGCCL15QF8aXvWkMs5uW7gXFWEeDweTUrojjhh-xMw0lDKzzLO8KoLGLukA5V4yI8rkqW4zYa9gIPtGVhCAHpMlkGVy-tbOxhkyl6RYjEl0qFCmurNkCdvMMOp_h7r4/s2928/4.%20Smokin'.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2928" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1bXPjJLLJRqgnjDeJNA6ZVAwgQOVtt6C72L8sBd4bxqyHHLZ0AEX4B4JKqgFxGCCL15QF8aXvWkMs5uW7gXFWEeDweTUrojjhh-xMw0lDKzzLO8KoLGLukA5V4yI8rkqW4zYa9gIPtGVhCAHpMlkGVy-tbOxhkyl6RYjEl0qFCmurNkCdvMMOp_h7r4/w400-h215/4.%20Smokin'.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although released on VHS in 1987 by Video Gems (“<i>Deadly passions… Exotic desires.</i>”), this was a difficult title to track down during the DVD era with only cheap bootlegs haunting every bargain bin imaginable. In 2018, Code Red released the film on Blu-ray as the cheekily retitled <b>EMMANUELLE AND THE DEADLY BLACK COBRA </b>(notice the double “M” spelling), which was quite the revelation after suffering through several cruddy versions over the years. The disc included a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 English audio track that was tolerable, but there was some very noticeable pops and hiss, which probably meant the audio was taken from an inferior source. Once again, it was confirmed by David Gregory on the Severin Films Podcast that this HD transfer on Severin’s new Blu-ray was taken from the same source, but some additional clean-up and colour-grading was done. Thankfully, the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks sound far cleaner than Code Red’s earlier Blu, and are included in English and Italian (with optional English SDH subtitles). </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem4u2uE-_-CEecLvA2_A6jz5Dof5-YdpZ58VKcYVzZffk1eJusRJSDdHUAIlt0_VInSuvvJoap0CmjMcQd-RXMNOLev2BHA3fs1kb9HirHE2vR-EfCFBW_HCaHk72tUnjqhnX3ctN1znIgi4VxMJOHo1erhbAsB3Di4YlgBf2eRKKaKLmCYLdOKjDscI/s2924/5.%20More%20Snakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2924" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem4u2uE-_-CEecLvA2_A6jz5Dof5-YdpZ58VKcYVzZffk1eJusRJSDdHUAIlt0_VInSuvvJoap0CmjMcQd-RXMNOLev2BHA3fs1kb9HirHE2vR-EfCFBW_HCaHk72tUnjqhnX3ctN1znIgi4VxMJOHo1erhbAsB3Di4YlgBf2eRKKaKLmCYLdOKjDscI/w400-h215/5.%20More%20Snakes.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Further enriched with several noteworthy extra features, Severin’s disc begins with a highly-entertaining audio commentary from film historian Samm Deighan, wherein she discusses the film’s various titles and releases, it’s similarities to D’Amato’s other Hong Kong-lensed film <b>EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK</b>, it’s “exoticism”, the massive popularity of the series as a whole, the numerous differences between the French Emmanuelle films and the “countless Italian ones”, the film’s strange plot and “exploitation movie set-up”, D’Amato’s long career, and much more besides. Next up, D’Amato is interviewed by Mark Ashworth in <b>Joe D’Amato at Eurofest</b> (11m57s) wherein the director talks about his extreme cinema, his various pseudonyms, the “professionalism of working in the United States, and how <b>BEYOND THE DARKNESS</b> is his personal favourite among his films. In <b>From Prague to Hong Kong</b> (12m58s), actor Michele Stark, of Czech and French parents, talks about her migration to Italy and her work on <b>BLACK COBRA</b>, where she reveals that Jack Palance was really “arrogant.” The film’s original English export trailer (3m14s), which includes some different music cues, is also included.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemj0SXJnFfDMAPvTyW1HBRV4oZgzOG5j4NzUj_iwc8pFLzxCt5uAFep9YOW9gkCTm3qo0DBdtjBd8X-PPLc5oxGjAA94cAeMINr2TYPLd-i-amuEN8FEqy0fNavx7DZaIMIcyJ7aOlr5Q20EtK0hbWhPPMpQcpfZBkGyJ_gZPTNEjrLdsWu0vGWchZqA/s2932/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2932" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemj0SXJnFfDMAPvTyW1HBRV4oZgzOG5j4NzUj_iwc8pFLzxCt5uAFep9YOW9gkCTm3qo0DBdtjBd8X-PPLc5oxGjAA94cAeMINr2TYPLd-i-amuEN8FEqy0fNavx7DZaIMIcyJ7aOlr5Q20EtK0hbWhPPMpQcpfZBkGyJ_gZPTNEjrLdsWu0vGWchZqA/w400-h169/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although the co-feature on disc seven ideally epitomizes all the necessary elements expected of your prototypical Black Emanuelle picture, Brunello Rondi’s <b>BLACK VELVET </b>(a.k.a. <b>BLACK EMMANUELLE, WHITE EMMANUELLE</b>, 1976) clearly sacrifices narrative transparency in favour of a more free-wheeling ‘experience’; consider this an erotic film for the arthouse crowd. The minimal plot centres around a disparate group of people in Egypt, which includes Laura (Laura Gemser) “the world’s most famous model” and her incredibly abusive photographer Carlo (Gabriele Tinti), the emotionally bankrupt Crystal (Susan Scott), her spunky daughter Pina (Annie Belle), and Horatio (Al Cliver), an indifferent mystic who promises some sort of spiritual reawakening for his wannabe disciples (“<i>When will you take us to the Holy Place?</i>”). Virtually plotless, this is a mesmerizing oddity where high art and lowly sleaze co-exist in a kind of disharmonious imbalance. Supported by an attractive cast and some stunning locations, the sex scenes are plentiful (including one very surprising ‘in-your-face’ moment), but interestingly, are punctuated by a seemingly abject loneliness. Elsewhere, in one of the film’s most memorably revolting scenes, Laura is forced to pose in front of a rotting animal carcass, and later, in an even more sensationalistic photo shoot, several recently discovered corpses. Couched in enigmas, the overall tone is as cryptic, cold and unlikable as most of the character’s in the picture, which is not to say it isn’t compelling, just confounding.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYgnJZlPzcGji7k0DIQyuUourXhD00LkqtBXaMq7a2QkKjNMrt4cpvuzDq3nbtkO4E8ZJ2iB-eL7zB3lPRi6_TTKVUyZwqJhv-_jN0uu4xDuJLN_ArXAwFaI2hUolATjpH4I1HNgJMKUl0pAvYKfiR7zNI7gLhh9ryIKlxVQjdJZMTX28OUlH3yB7uGI/s2934/2.%20Al%20Cliver.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="2934" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYgnJZlPzcGji7k0DIQyuUourXhD00LkqtBXaMq7a2QkKjNMrt4cpvuzDq3nbtkO4E8ZJ2iB-eL7zB3lPRi6_TTKVUyZwqJhv-_jN0uu4xDuJLN_ArXAwFaI2hUolATjpH4I1HNgJMKUl0pAvYKfiR7zNI7gLhh9ryIKlxVQjdJZMTX28OUlH3yB7uGI/w400-h169/2.%20Al%20Cliver.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although released multiple times onto VHS, including a 1983 release from Cult Video as <b>SMOOTH VELVET RAW SILK</b> (it was subsequently rereleased by Continental Video in 1986 as <b>EMANUELLE IN EGYPT</b>), the film’s scope photography was severely compromised in all of its analogue incarnations. In 2008, as part of their Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 2, Severin’s DVD not only featured the uncut version, but also restored the film’s proper 2.35:1 framing giving further depth to Gastone Di Giovanni’s lush cinematography. Audio options included both English (with some scenes still in Italian with English subtitles) and Italian (with optional English subtitles), which sounded fine. Extras included <b>Black Velvet</b> (18m28s), an interesting featurette highlighted by an on-camera interview with star Al Cliver and additional audio interviews with Gemser and Belle, who chronicle the confusing nature of making all these movies at the same time, the film’s locations, Rondi’s lack of direction, and much more. The film’s original Italian trailer (3m46s) was also included.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTfff8owFXRfUQnnb-BE4ekdeWcQ0cmWK34f6cIrJZuEbHgltyTF7hyphenhyphenVZ7VpjqHxpzwyu-hjpH9xTAxTgQ7c4lfYRUG5zgUvk0g-9Xkeh2iQEUkcuHuqoANTWHLymBtIH-9sekF4TD0HEDsWA26lWBFvq9_FNvih7WEBSAaerHtcP8OHrEIhG6y3TE2k/s2932/4.%20Susan%20Scott.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2932" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTfff8owFXRfUQnnb-BE4ekdeWcQ0cmWK34f6cIrJZuEbHgltyTF7hyphenhyphenVZ7VpjqHxpzwyu-hjpH9xTAxTgQ7c4lfYRUG5zgUvk0g-9Xkeh2iQEUkcuHuqoANTWHLymBtIH-9sekF4TD0HEDsWA26lWBFvq9_FNvih7WEBSAaerHtcP8OHrEIhG6y3TE2k/w400-h169/4.%20Susan%20Scott.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Severin’s new Blu-ray is another very pleasing upgrade whose boost in resolution improves detail considerably, and looks appropriately robust with stronger colour reproduction. The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio once again features the same audio options as the DVD, which come through with audible vigour, especially when Dario & Alberto Baldan Bembo’s sumptuous score takes over. Outside of the aforementioned <b>Black Velvet</b> featurette, newly-produced extras include an interview with biographer Alberto Pezzotta in <b>The Roots of Evil</b> (17m14s) where he provides plenty of insightful context including the film’s deceiving marketing by producer Alfredo Bini, the film’s similarities to Pier Paolo Pasolini’s <b>ARABIAN NIGHTS</b> (1975), how Rondi pushed the limits of censorship, and much more in this rather illuminating glimpse into the film, which should help viewers garner a better understanding of its odd appeal. In <b>A Relationship of Confusion</b> (17m16s), critic Joseph Fahim explores this unique film from an Egyptian perspective and how its “an artifact of its time”, Egypt’s limited European productions and how it would be impossible to make a film such as this today, and lastly how censorship was put into place in Egypt soon after the film’s release; given the lack of comprehensive history on the Egyptian film industry, this was a very pleasant and eye-opening surprise. The disc also includes the film’s English opening credits (1m48s), which were taken from Miracle Films’ UK pre-cert VHS, as well as the film’s rare English export trailer as <b>SMOOTH VELVET WHITE SILK </b>(which includes alternate music cues, 3m46s), and the aforementioned Italian trailer.</span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-82381727570970307132023-12-10T00:56:00.002-05:002023-12-13T16:24:14.468-05:00THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE - BLU-RAY REVIEW PART 2<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwpbX14MQAcAUwTTlElmr14WLkCqM6PbbH39XPEq9IGgK8fvk7Ai877uw6uAeiHuHJferf1tSGub8pnhIvG8nCmhTLmiqXCKOeUiVPJX8zE-eFtcUCVaiwUQeD89W76LYqVbvgN1tDGFJEtJ0bYzLN2159ex58hF34hWKPup_5jcrM30b7eNnkGW0DXs/s1435/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1435" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwpbX14MQAcAUwTTlElmr14WLkCqM6PbbH39XPEq9IGgK8fvk7Ai877uw6uAeiHuHJferf1tSGub8pnhIvG8nCmhTLmiqXCKOeUiVPJX8zE-eFtcUCVaiwUQeD89W76LYqVbvgN1tDGFJEtJ0bYzLN2159ex58hF34hWKPup_5jcrM30b7eNnkGW0DXs/w400-h214/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For the second part of our massive look at Severin’s <b>THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE </b>box set, let’s move onto to disc three with Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE AROUND THE WORLD</b>, which is yet another undisputable high watermark of the series, and in its uncut form, moves in a similar milieu as D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b>. Beginning in San Francisco, Emanuelle (Gemser, ’natch) is first seen getting it on with a truckdriver (an uncredited Paul Thomas) in the back of his moving truck, and in a genuinely humorous touch, she casually refers to her return from a “desert island”, which, rather tenuously, connects this film to <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b>’s rather baffling conclusion. After dutifully returning to work, Emanuelle meets with Dr. Malcolm Robertson (Ivan Rasismov), a United Nations chairman with a position on the Third World Aid Committee, which leads her to embark on an ambitious assignment to reveal the oppression of women around the world. Following a lengthy sojourn to India to meet a world-renowned sex guru (George Eastman) who has “discovered the secret of the ultimate climax”, Emanuelle soon learns of a ruthless white slavery ring, which leads her to Rome. Joined by fellow reporter Cora Norman (Karin Schubert), their investigation takes them to Hong Kong and Tehran where they witness first-hand the “cruelest forms of violence”, and an Emir (Gianni Macchia) who controls a vast harem (“<i>This Emir is pretty groovy!</i>”). However, upon their return to the United States, they are coerced into witnessing a brutal rape at the hands of several wealthy U.S. senators, which proves that her potential expose will offer no solutions and merely confirm the infinite vicious circle of violence against women… </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajYz51Z2yW_oBbWCgg1y6EHFiT-h-1g0xniFoS3xryb4JMQ6tArvciipKob_FFKC0ynpDoe6gnDfpT44ASjQ16cD-oXoAEOwFLOEyH8eDSQEzdDZZU-Bn98On-S9vrpqbodfbdvWqFqJwCs0DifMjufhWy96ICyr1PxZI84JLes2Gap-JLge3Yv8y7F0/s1430/2.%20Karin%20Schubert.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1430" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajYz51Z2yW_oBbWCgg1y6EHFiT-h-1g0xniFoS3xryb4JMQ6tArvciipKob_FFKC0ynpDoe6gnDfpT44ASjQ16cD-oXoAEOwFLOEyH8eDSQEzdDZZU-Bn98On-S9vrpqbodfbdvWqFqJwCs0DifMjufhWy96ICyr1PxZI84JLes2Gap-JLge3Yv8y7F0/w400-h215/2.%20Karin%20Schubert.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In spite of the film’s generally upbeat tone, which is helped along by Nico Fidenco’s irresistibly compulsive score, D’Amato’s ultimate cynical message here seems to be that irredeemable human corruption exists not only at the top of society but also at the very bottom… and everywhere else in between. Individual segments connected by a general linking theme expose several acts of violence upon a host of white slavery victims. In a sequence snatched right out of an adult <i>fumetti</i>, a monstrously-scarred Italian mafioso (an uncredited Craig Hill) has his way with several kidnapped women (including Emanuelle) as D’Amato’s gloomy cinematography paints characters in suitably murky twilight hues, which effectively conveys a morbid façade akin to a horror film nasty. Later in Hong Kong, the sleaze continues to flow as Emanuelle is ensnared by the vice ring and is forced to witness the brutal punishment inflicted on defiant girls, and in what is arguably the film’s roughest sequence, Emanuelle is once again held against her will and forced to give fellatio to a homeless man at gunpoint, this, after witnessing a brutal gang-rape underneath a garbage-strewn New York overpass. In spite of the film’s rougher moments, it’s all handled with style by D’Amato, and the alluring mystique of Emanuelle and the empowerment she endows (“I am <i>love</i>!”) still prevails, which cleverly echoes Fidenco’s unforgettable main theme.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTlBy47kHqt5yY3wm7wgINZipZYHa5XuWMgy51ECHt54FiRSIf9YlZJ88DkhdFyqL7PRRY4kgDaxoh3pCamJQz4imLJkPCCxOoqg_918GiHGI6NTdtRcd9C6aKKsBy6ttJZchbC71xuAvRNXTJ5NHRKkEO2A0NlwaQAqNJfgMupowYEGUsAPPwS_WK4I/s1433/4.%20Craig%20Hill.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1433" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTlBy47kHqt5yY3wm7wgINZipZYHa5XuWMgy51ECHt54FiRSIf9YlZJ88DkhdFyqL7PRRY4kgDaxoh3pCamJQz4imLJkPCCxOoqg_918GiHGI6NTdtRcd9C6aKKsBy6ttJZchbC71xuAvRNXTJ5NHRKkEO2A0NlwaQAqNJfgMupowYEGUsAPPwS_WK4I/w400-h215/4.%20Craig%20Hill.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As released by Wizard Video (in both a slipcase and big box edition) during the ’80s, this was another popular VHS videocassette, which seemed to appear in just about every video store all those years ago. One of the first DVD releases out of the gate was a Russian DVD, which contained the theatrical cut of the film and looked acceptable for the time. Severin’s DVD from 2007, which was released as part of their Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 1, also contained the film’s shorter theatrical cut with an improved transfer, and also contained the aforementioned <b>Black Emanuelle’s Groove</b> interview with Fidenco, and the film’s U.S. theatrical trailer. As expected, Severin’s new Blu of the full uncut version is another expertly transferred title, which looks great in HD with rich, nicely balanced colours and excellent detail. The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio tracks include English and Italian audio (with optional English subtitles) and both sound excellent with Fidenco’s score adding immeasurably to the film’s experience. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNl-Cbjm9AW72l560aH5_zgDQ_8Ve-xYqoW4Ejwrv5J3MhzUbpLW1_8XtsYpjRxoaSVBRiD02yxgqot8DKME3FxOhOooT0Boi_5T79KrRWT8v0j9gWXsAutCr3JnzRPNBPtm4UmhTbmT61d4B6FGtQijYBkEpnLBw8u_QCSjMySriuHXHY_5lRoPfszA/s1431/5.%20Laura%20Gemser%20on%20the%20Job.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1431" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNl-Cbjm9AW72l560aH5_zgDQ_8Ve-xYqoW4Ejwrv5J3MhzUbpLW1_8XtsYpjRxoaSVBRiD02yxgqot8DKME3FxOhOooT0Boi_5T79KrRWT8v0j9gWXsAutCr3JnzRPNBPtm4UmhTbmT61d4B6FGtQijYBkEpnLBw8u_QCSjMySriuHXHY_5lRoPfszA/w400-h215/5.%20Laura%20Gemser%20on%20the%20Job.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Once again, Severin packs their disc with an embarrassment of riches beginning with <b>Around the World with Emanuelle</b> (31m03s), a very welcome on-camera interview with author and film historian Stephen Thrower who provides his usual erudite observations. He discusses how D’Amato is always “willing to pull out all the stops” and the similarities to some of Jess Franco’s vast filmography, the “leering quality” of the film, the “mis-match” between the film’s message and how it goes about expressing it, the globetrotting locations, and much more. In <b>I’m Not a Guru</b> (13m54s), actor and frequent collaborator Luigi Montefiori (a.k.a. George Eastman) talks about D’Amato’s “jovial and good-hearted” nature and his ability to convince an actor to do anything, and he also believes that when D’Amato turned to directing, it ruined his career. Actor Gianni Macchia also has a lot of nice things to say about D’Amato including his incredible talent as a camera operator, and he also speaks extensively about his breakout role in Fernando Di Leo’s <b>A WOMAN ON FIRE</b> (1969). And finally, in <b>A Tribute to Karin Schubert: The ‘Nackedei’ Actress</b> (19m18s), Kier-La Janisse, Stephen Broomer, and writer Jean-Luc Marrat, chronicle Schubert’s films, stardom and troubled life in yet another fabulous visual essay, which is easily one of the highlights of the disc. The film’s familiar U.S. theatrical trailer (“<i>Join Emanuelle as she goes around the world in 80 ways!</i>”, 2m29s)<i> </i>is once again included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboPABpZ4GYO6oKz-GLPZ_YMu4ul1EJLQ1_l3oF069ZScqi-Rb1V7ZWGsZ12f6a8hyphenhyphenhzpCVsmG8AuwFfKZqCraTRTB8F1huIylaXv-U2EHhkAZKQd2k-Sb5KWrPT2q7xF-QA9C_QhzwTfg2zg30jX_Cop4LZZi2E-Q4QpKd45WJhUm_e8TPcnfgZRBfUI/s1920/1.%20Laura%20Gemser%20screams.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboPABpZ4GYO6oKz-GLPZ_YMu4ul1EJLQ1_l3oF069ZScqi-Rb1V7ZWGsZ12f6a8hyphenhyphenhzpCVsmG8AuwFfKZqCraTRTB8F1huIylaXv-U2EHhkAZKQd2k-Sb5KWrPT2q7xF-QA9C_QhzwTfg2zg30jX_Cop4LZZi2E-Q4QpKd45WJhUm_e8TPcnfgZRBfUI/w400-h225/1.%20Laura%20Gemser%20screams.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Opening with a hilarious and patently false opening blurb (“<i>This is a true story as reported by Jennifer O’Sullivan.</i>”), Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS</b> (1977) is the second film on disc three, and is his answer to the then-burgeoning cannibal films such as Ruggero Deodato’s <b>THE LAST CANNIBAL WORLD </b>(a.k.a. <b>JUNGLE HOLOCAUST</b>, 1977). Once again opening in New York City, a patient at a psychiatric hospital takes a nasty bite out of a nurse’s breast; an incident which hard-working ‘on-the-scene’ photojournalist Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) happens to snap a photograph of with her conveniently-hidden camera. Later that night, Emanuelle sneaks into the room of the attacker – who, by the way, is confined to a straightjacket – and (ahem) ‘eases her tensions’ in a way that only Emanuelle could. Upon snapping a few more gratuitous photos of the half-naked bite victim, she then reports back to her editor. Immediately sensing a hot story (“<i>The last cannibals! What a scoop!</i>” exclaims her overzealous editor), Emanuelle is put in contact with Mark Lester (Gabriele Tinti), a curator at the Natural History Musuem, who goes on to educate her about various tribal rites across the globe via some scratchy B&W movie footage. Of course, Emanuelle also jumps into bed with Mark as the film crosscuts them rolling around the sheets with their journey to the Amazon (“<i>Amazonia is a land that lives by its own rules.</i>”). Upon their arrival, they meet Wilkes (Geoffrey Copleston), who organizes their trip into the jungle to meet Father Morales, the only outsider who has ever had any contact with the elusive cannibal tribe. Also along for the ride are Wilkes’ daughter Isabelle (Monika Zanchi), who will be their guide for the trip, and Sister Angela (Annamarie Clementi), one of the nuns working at Morales’ mission. During their trek, they also come across Donald and Maggie Mackenzie (Donal[d] O’Brien and Susan Scott), a bickering dysfunctional couple whose deceitful and uncooperative relations are the least of the expedition’s problems when the cannibals strike.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50PhUvNRB46r0QvYONCHlsToDIw1J1WIW4rBG3m9CIrYYP-7z5TWcH7F1HNFDAnj-kfo15zXv2slOkdg4LJmsciGJtf5m8MBwx1ZPYaFACPtn_824VyHKLyxaPbrcxIunYVVjDXGolrEOCNbWiz5BfWL8XLf3Zm8Fqt6ixOflWD1GPHGmK9Bln1c3Pk8/s1920/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Monika%20Zanchi.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50PhUvNRB46r0QvYONCHlsToDIw1J1WIW4rBG3m9CIrYYP-7z5TWcH7F1HNFDAnj-kfo15zXv2slOkdg4LJmsciGJtf5m8MBwx1ZPYaFACPtn_824VyHKLyxaPbrcxIunYVVjDXGolrEOCNbWiz5BfWL8XLf3Zm8Fqt6ixOflWD1GPHGmK9Bln1c3Pk8/w400-h225/2.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Monika%20Zanchi.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">What it lacks in sophistication, <b>EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS</b> more than makes up for in scuzzy exploitation, delivering ample sex and gore at regular intervals. At this point in his career, director D’Amato was also no slouch at making straight-ahead horror films as well (his <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/05/death-smiles-on-murderer-blu-ray-review_8.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DEATH SMILES AT MURDER</span></a></b> [1973] is a particular standout), so he came with impeccable credentials to tackle this hybrid of two styles. Unlike the earlier entries, contentious social issues aren’t really explored, but its repulsive enough to meet and exceed expectations, even if, many of the gore effects are cheaply executed including one laughable optical effect; Sister Angela’s demise, however, is actually quite gruesome, and one of the strongest scenes in the film. Attaining a nice balance between its less typical and more familiar elements, <b>EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNBIALS</b> is a solid assault of sleaze complimented by yet another fab Nico Fidenco score, parts of which were later re-used in Marino Girolami’s <b>ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST</b> (a.k.a. <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2016/07/doctor-butcher-md-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DR. BUTCHER M.D.</span></a></b>, 1980), yet another unforgettable Italo gore hybrid. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WeY5kEhWbVEt79fophE_laR4OHFTdGa-4pElz14wGob3aUGMZOkW6U8PaVv1BfcSFTjWDgoOXfe1uqGRxtYQzfPvH6XVq9lkUMfuoDXk5f5bI8UuPC6S9iNkuE0FdlLsRYsGECthe2I2RPeE0Kzp4AQiulCqzcUnyNEtzroqXfozzPUsP8pFXftnzcQ/s1920/3.%20Gabriele%20Tinti.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WeY5kEhWbVEt79fophE_laR4OHFTdGa-4pElz14wGob3aUGMZOkW6U8PaVv1BfcSFTjWDgoOXfe1uqGRxtYQzfPvH6XVq9lkUMfuoDXk5f5bI8UuPC6S9iNkuE0FdlLsRYsGECthe2I2RPeE0Kzp4AQiulCqzcUnyNEtzroqXfozzPUsP8pFXftnzcQ/w400-h225/3.%20Gabriele%20Tinti.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Available during the VHS boom on Twilight Video under its notorious U.S. release title of <b>TRAP THEM AND KILL THEM</b>, this was released on DVD in 2003 courtesy of Shriek Show, whose edition featured a solid transfer that was highlighted by robust colours and solid detail for an SD release. This long out-of-print DVD included a generous stills gallery, a theatrical trailer, plus trailers for some of Shriek Show’s other titles. The film made its HD debut in 2016 via 88 Films, which was passable for the time, but left a lot of room for improvement. In 2018, Severin debuted the film on North American Blu in yet another one of their superlative packages, which featured a crisp new transfer and an excellent assortment of extra features. Scanned in 2K from “original vault elements”, Severin’s disc was far more detailed with a healthy amount of film grain. The DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 was also offered in both English and Italian and both sounded clear and free of distortion despite the rather wonky English dub track. Happily, Severin also included properly-translated English subtitles for the Italian track, as well as closed captions. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDKWX09L44-aa-gyHPzIP1liYNynGvSD4pB6jTICcOAvlwQTHXwCNz7YhENJbFg0m8djQHlb8vriDIaXBEuA4ZyJqbrhsIBSa6-NNkg4teGb0Owk_lmp81u_br5t7sn7ahJ_zIhP7QILrl1bfVxpDj2I-K-pq52IZ7s-JA0euk_78EVQ5kUkgUEmm4fg/s1920/4.%20The%20expedition.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDKWX09L44-aa-gyHPzIP1liYNynGvSD4pB6jTICcOAvlwQTHXwCNz7YhENJbFg0m8djQHlb8vriDIaXBEuA4ZyJqbrhsIBSa6-NNkg4teGb0Owk_lmp81u_br5t7sn7ahJ_zIhP7QILrl1bfVxpDj2I-K-pq52IZ7s-JA0euk_78EVQ5kUkgUEmm4fg/w400-h225/4.%20The%20expedition.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The copious extras begin with <b>The World of Nico Fidenco</b> (27m04s), a career-spanning interview with the film’s music composer, who collaborated with Joe D’Amato a number of times. Initially studying to become a director at the <i>Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografica</i>, this ambition was cut short when Fidenco had to do his mandatory military service, but upon his return, he started singing and playing guitar instead. This led to him singing the title song “What a Sky / <i>Su ne cielo</i>” in Francesco Maselli’s <b>SILVER SPOON SET</b> (1960), which subsequently launched his musical career. Through further “coincidences”, this fortuitous event also initiated a prolific career composing film music, beginning with his sparse if highly-memorable score for Giovanni Grimaldi’s spaghetti western <b>IN A COLT’S SHADOW</b> (1966). Additionally, Fidenco goes on to speak of his long working relationship with D’Amato and his ability to make “three movies with the budget of one”; a piece of advice he took from famed composer Henry Mancini to “make one theme (or two, if necessary) that will be remembered” (which is most certainly the case with this film’s catchy score!); and finally touches on working with Gemser, Tinti, director Marino Girolami, and how his life is a “never-ending surprise”. Solid stuff, indeed! In Nocturno’s <b>A Nun Among the Cannibals</b> (22m53s), Annamarie<span style="color: red;"> </span>Clementi talks about how she got into the business through her friend and agent Pino Pellegrino and how her life at that point was much akin to a “spin-dryer”; she also discusses her nasty demise in the film under review and found it “amusing”, but was less amused when she found herself covered in smelly offal on the set while shooting the scene. Next up, in <b>Doctor O’Brien</b> (18m47s), Donal(d) O’Brien discusses his early years at the Dublin Gate Theatre; his breakthrough on John Frankenheimer’s <b>THE TRAIN</b> (1964) – in which he memorably portrayed a stubborn Nazi NCO opposite the film’s protagonist Burt Lancaster – and his migration to Italy where he “fell in love with Italy and its people”; he also goes on to call D’Amato’s nasty-nun shocker <b>IMAGES IN A CONVENT</b> (1979) a “semi-masterpiece”! In <b>From Switzerland to the Mato Grosso</b>(18m40s), Monika Zanchi talks of her turbulent lifestyle before she was ‘discovered’, which led to a brief film career that began with Pasquale Festa Campanile’s crimeslime road movie <b>HITCH-HIKE</b> (1977) and <b>SISTER EMANUELLE</b>; she also speaks warmly of maverick director Alberto Cavallone as “the most-human, the most-creative” director she ever worked with. The featurettes concluded with the aforementioned <b>I Am Your Black Queen</b> audio interview, the film’s original theatrical trailer, and for the first 3000 copies, a soundtrack CD of Fidenco’s memorable score, which included 31 tracks totalling 59m04s. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilRCrHGRUZoAafJ8D8ZErklPsx8zJd-mzavXcR833aZL0p8zgcnsf9aGIqI_IOOkfxcKa12mvQwSyHTRFHwHKnb2aMq8gGMQo_k4e0dYOLj2Qu0_dKaCNYAXQoEOyGsRrtn24WzQ17VVpyVnJDlWP7q4V7JVuWM7WuP0vkJkse-KokS_sw8AdrZZWzcU/s1920/8.%20Laura%20Gemser%20attacked.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilRCrHGRUZoAafJ8D8ZErklPsx8zJd-mzavXcR833aZL0p8zgcnsf9aGIqI_IOOkfxcKa12mvQwSyHTRFHwHKnb2aMq8gGMQo_k4e0dYOLj2Qu0_dKaCNYAXQoEOyGsRrtn24WzQ17VVpyVnJDlWP7q4V7JVuWM7WuP0vkJkse-KokS_sw8AdrZZWzcU/w400-h225/8.%20Laura%20Gemser%20attacked.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Given Severin’s superb track record with this film, it should come as no surprise that the box set contains the same transfer, audio options, and extra features (minus the CD) as their earlier Blu, but not wanting to simply re-cycle the same contents, Severin have generously added a couple of new – and essential – extras beginning with a highly-detailed and well-researched audio commentary with Stephen Thrower. In it, he shares a great deal of background info on Joe D’Amato whom he considers to be a “vanguard of European directors”, the film’s quickie status and filming locations, jumping on the cannibal film bandwagon, and some of the film’s more problematic scenes including Emanuelle’s rather “unethical” approach to journalism. Having seen her name appear in the credits of quite a few Italian trash films, it’s great to finally get an interview with costume designer Silvana Scandariato in <b>Dressed to Eat</b> (18m46s), wherein she gives us her thoughts on D’Amato and their long-standing working relationship including their numerous collaborations on the Black Emanuelle films. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkdzdnx8qF7h1PIDiVAjqaM8G5m-heJAa9nScBHoV_0F5LwrxnERiAoby9Vs3Ds8i53-R2d-_NG1zS9UjNPzD4xAnEQw6V9hFH57z8UI7uwHEJUDifLb6VkH-B46SxP5Zy7kheeiwwMSK7Tr1nH33m6Fqw18_M-Ght80vDf5_55ABn-DlrIQBzfIc2K0/s2926/1.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Whiskey.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="2926" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkdzdnx8qF7h1PIDiVAjqaM8G5m-heJAa9nScBHoV_0F5LwrxnERiAoby9Vs3Ds8i53-R2d-_NG1zS9UjNPzD4xAnEQw6V9hFH57z8UI7uwHEJUDifLb6VkH-B46SxP5Zy7kheeiwwMSK7Tr1nH33m6Fqw18_M-Ght80vDf5_55ABn-DlrIQBzfIc2K0/w400-h225/1.%20Laura%20Gemser%20and%20Whiskey.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Delving into the more obscure entries of the Emanuelle series, disc four begins with Bruno Mattei’s <b>PORNO NIGHTS OF THE WORLD</b> (1977), a late-in-the-trend <i>mondo </i>film, which is basically a variation of the ‘white-coater.’ Produced during the late ’60s and early ’70s, white-coaters were explicit sexploitation films (many of which included hardcore sex), which skirted the law because they purported to include educational context due to their inclusion of a talking head in a white coat (i.e., an obviously fake doctor). Mattei dispenses with the doctor angle completely, and instead has photo journalist Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) introduce and narrate the film’s numerous – and increasingly ridiculous – vignettes. Relegated to mostly striptease routines and nightclub acts, the first performance is a take on the classic story of The Beauty and the Beast wherein porno starlet Marina Frajese, dressed in a safari costume, performs a slinky if chaste exotic dance before a man in a gorilla suit forcefully has his way her. In Hong Kong, women “dance like butterflies within the shadows” in a posh lesbian club, which once again highlights more exotic stripping. Other increasingly bizarre clips include a magician who turns a woman into a man, mud wrestling, fertility rites, a visit to “deepest, darkest Africa” where a man is graphically castrated for adultery (stock footage re-used from <b>EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS</b>), naked roller skating (more sneakily re-purposed footage, this time from Erwin C. Dietrich’s <b>PIN-UP PLAYMATES</b> [1972]), and a visit to Bangkok where the “inhabitants are completely uninhibited.” In between the vignettes, Emanuelle cheerily offers plenty of silly philosophical ruminations as she too clumsily sheds her clothes while taking numerous sips of whiskey (“<i>I really love whiskey!</i>”). Completely absurd, this freakshow of perversity is just too damn silly to be taken seriously, but Gemser is charismatic as ever (nicely dubbed on English versions by the always reliable Pat Starke), and Gianni Marchetti’s (credited here as Joe Dynamo) score provides a jaunty synth / funk score that keeps things jugging along nicely. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxfGMH-AfC06kAhbcdUYkzF5EKJU7jR39TQoj1rLaFVU5_0nbgsYRB4IGG-JeZV3LtqAN5PLkoaGE9r8p5uZT0UM4gUTWKVXbF419q0w3xhKKxUESyZVpxrDQNK9jbPKSHaEPR-2qqusGuJ6eE9ua2bqo_34RkBAqag7GDvJZwjrT_Qi2XPFAdwCdhK8/s2926/2.%20Window%20Shopping.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2926" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxfGMH-AfC06kAhbcdUYkzF5EKJU7jR39TQoj1rLaFVU5_0nbgsYRB4IGG-JeZV3LtqAN5PLkoaGE9r8p5uZT0UM4gUTWKVXbF419q0w3xhKKxUESyZVpxrDQNK9jbPKSHaEPR-2qqusGuJ6eE9ua2bqo_34RkBAqag7GDvJZwjrT_Qi2XPFAdwCdhK8/w400-h224/2.%20Window%20Shopping.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Barely released on home video, the film first turned up on Canadian VHS as <b>SEXY NIGHT REPORT</b> via Intercontinental Film & Video Enterprises, a Canadian based label affiliated with the Metro Theatre, a Toronto adult movie house that shuttered its doors in 2013. The film eventually made its way to Italian DVD as part of Cecchi Gori’s Cine Sexy line, but sadly, it was in Italian only, but unlike the Canadian VHS, it was at least uncut and remained the optimum release prior to Severin’s uncut, English-friendly Blu-ray. With its fair share of borrowed material, this was always going to have a rather rough-hewn appearance, but Severin has performed a small miracle here, and outside of the grainy stock footage, it’s far better than anything preceding it. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks in both English and Italian are also clean and free of any issues. Optional SDH subtitles are also provided. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDD4XKb5XleA3ZM7sI5OjvpD3u1uGJ3xLWl5hMrNIYn5mumNDmlUZ_eJZTqs0cswiaiw_3QHJAwX1RPk8Fi_Q0XJCbu4R6oNQPh5UeXbTAbpWGoLzJ1KOzAq9pmAzprMJcKnlsx_rXWV06MO_mYy9uVhfNZEDvSAlf6iyfB_PsFWdgQBIOULPrO_xxW9E/s2926/3.%20Superhero.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1644" data-original-width="2926" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDD4XKb5XleA3ZM7sI5OjvpD3u1uGJ3xLWl5hMrNIYn5mumNDmlUZ_eJZTqs0cswiaiw_3QHJAwX1RPk8Fi_Q0XJCbu4R6oNQPh5UeXbTAbpWGoLzJ1KOzAq9pmAzprMJcKnlsx_rXWV06MO_mYy9uVhfNZEDvSAlf6iyfB_PsFWdgQBIOULPrO_xxW9E/w400-h225/3.%20Superhero.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The extras begin with <b>Master of the World</b> (8m41s), an archival interview with Bruno Mattei wherein he talks about some of his uncredited directing chores on Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE AND FRANCOISE</b> (1975), his collaboration with D’Amato on the present film, and the genesis of the film and its relative success. In <b>At the Dining Table</b>(18m46s), producer Franco Gaudenzi enthusiastically discusses his love for movies and how he got his start in the business, his time at Variety Film in the ’80s where he produced many of Mattei’s latter-day efforts, and his relationship with D’Amato and how he always enjoyed working with him because there was “no risk.” In <b>The Naked Eye: Sex and the Mondo Film</b> (43m29s), film historian Elizabeth Purchell, author Mark Goodall and Vinegar Syndrome’s Joe Rubin explore the more lascivious properties of the <i>mondo</i> film beginning with their origins in “ethnographic nature films” such as Elwood Price’s <b>MAU MAU</b> (1955) and other early “<i>mondo</i> adjacent” nudist films, the differences between European and U.S. efforts, the aforementioned white-coaters, the “snapshot in time” many of these boundary-pushing films showed including “world’s that no longer exist”, and of course, they also discuss the D’Amato and Mattei films at great length alongside a wealth of fascinating film clips; it’s a superb doc and one of the many of the highlights of the set. Lastly, the film’s hilarious (which includes several mis-spelled title cards) English opening credits (2m14s) and the film’s original English export trailer (3m03s) are also included.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN7YgTp5s2rDEYHrrhffiqKQe5OO5EiCym-z_taAFIuHhi4RkgcPEPnTAL3JE7kSkLxN1bws7NnulXUmSY_7ctr01GedNMed307Dc-JoBHfGiE2up5oRDROo7jVjP318WrrYwZiD9JXKs95Ca189FL3-fDRNOZXJw80ECeJwdIVyuP8Olr0KSDPSc-jQ/s1434/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1434" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN7YgTp5s2rDEYHrrhffiqKQe5OO5EiCym-z_taAFIuHhi4RkgcPEPnTAL3JE7kSkLxN1bws7NnulXUmSY_7ctr01GedNMed307Dc-JoBHfGiE2up5oRDROo7jVjP318WrrYwZiD9JXKs95Ca189FL3-fDRNOZXJw80ECeJwdIVyuP8Olr0KSDPSc-jQ/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The next film on disc four is <b>EMANUELLE AND THE PORNO NIGHTS OF THE WORLD</b> (1978), credited to ‘Jummy Mathews’, one of Mattei’s lesser-known (and laughably mis-spelled) pseudonyms. Virtually interchangeable with the above reviewed movie, Mattei’s stock-in-trade is delivering the exploitation goods, and he certainly doesn’t skimp here. Bookended by Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) driving on the Las Vegas strip (which makes use of obligatory stock footage of brightly-lit casinos), she cheerfully introduces our first clip about a group of horny spiritualists, which Emanuelle jokingly refers to as “the porno nights of the round table” as they try to invoke a sex-obsessed spirit that culminates in a protracted orgy. Along the way, we are further treated to a sex-oriented carnival, penis enlargement surgery in Japan (“<i>This operation is so complex, it seems like something out of science-fiction!</i>” quips our narrator.), more fertility rites from New Guinea, a guide on “how to make a porno film”, bubble-bath wrestling (!), and plenty more besides. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOryh1pfeROkjdf1lOo9c6jcfmPIii55Vrpp_ooepdEh4By7K5xnkLO6Tg2UjYVQQ9_5JrA3rvlyfNlqPNYcbfpgAcnXKPujIFwK7oe7d0SficgD8ttm0qNvcP7zyvxpjKvJ_HLgPQWzJw-PqDMRj8hmyP5_CoLZF3ROWdIuzGpBuyVnvD48nG0_HbqI/s1433/2.%20Seance.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1433" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOryh1pfeROkjdf1lOo9c6jcfmPIii55Vrpp_ooepdEh4By7K5xnkLO6Tg2UjYVQQ9_5JrA3rvlyfNlqPNYcbfpgAcnXKPujIFwK7oe7d0SficgD8ttm0qNvcP7zyvxpjKvJ_HLgPQWzJw-PqDMRj8hmyP5_CoLZF3ROWdIuzGpBuyVnvD48nG0_HbqI/w400-h215/2.%20Seance.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Once again, D’Amato goes uncredited for his work alongside Mattei, who offer yet another unpretentious contribution to the worldwide <i>mondo</i> craze, unfolding more borrowed footage alongside ‘all-new’ scenes, which they probably threw together over a few weekends. Classifying <b>SEXY NIGHT REPORT</b> and <b>EMANUELLE AND THE PORNO NIGHTS OF THE WORLD</b> as two separate films almost seems like a bit of stretch, which Emanuelle cheekily confirms in her narration about the filmmakers collecting “enough material to make three movies!” But even though it delivers much of the same, this follow-up to <b>SEXY NIGHT REPORT</b> amounts to a another surprisingly watchable, and at times gleefully sleazy bit of hokum exemplifying the sex / <i>mondo</i> film crossover.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlReBgZGCKhW7bfhp81ouOOp6bCm8phF_awnE5auU2vw3Dhjuhm3hPMjpS2MArlsPgBzGP5FmnCPtCjDxGMW51VI17NXNk-olgHhHgbHoE4Dlu4IbkKdhgIlwNqqb4gkgU2Whq5hXDrc5cdBBEn3nHDUIPXmmlrJ9F7MOukPT4EV8eEAVLbWl1I4mAaU/s1430/3.%20Operation.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1430" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlReBgZGCKhW7bfhp81ouOOp6bCm8phF_awnE5auU2vw3Dhjuhm3hPMjpS2MArlsPgBzGP5FmnCPtCjDxGMW51VI17NXNk-olgHhHgbHoE4Dlu4IbkKdhgIlwNqqb4gkgU2Whq5hXDrc5cdBBEn3nHDUIPXmmlrJ9F7MOukPT4EV8eEAVLbWl1I4mAaU/w400-h216/3.%20Operation.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Like its predecessor, this also had a sparse home video history, surfacing on Australian VHS as <b>EMANUELLE AND THE PORNO NIGHTS</b> courtesy of Palace Video and their short-lived Vibrant line. The full-screen presentation looked quite good, but given Australia’s rather strict censorship policies at the time, some of the more extreme bits were indeed censored. Thankfully, Severin’s new Blu-ray is completely uncut and properly presented in its correct aspect ratio with all of the newly-shot footage looking detailed and nicely textured. Although in view of the film’s very modest production values and judicious use of stock footage, expect the usual fluctuations in picture quality. DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio English and Italian tracks are once again included, which sound fine, but since both tracks feature post-synched audio, you’ll want to stick with English, even if, just to hear many of the usual English-language dubbing artists. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0nU0Z48Mh-lsROO2GjTNWCC4dLlh5yfZbVFtXbNP3RhXMqr7luSuN_XPSrOUYjZ7lgTL29uxsiv_Y7980znKYDH68HqUG0eA3fMyiBoYqoknqNiaVth1kBzzzvgM2iqGqcVQaUr1vH5cHgkmXJhyphenhypheneP3j-jk-7ognA0YH15yfN5QyVgqtPYFgZOgkGqs/s1430/4.%20Gemser%20the%20Magician.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1430" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0nU0Z48Mh-lsROO2GjTNWCC4dLlh5yfZbVFtXbNP3RhXMqr7luSuN_XPSrOUYjZ7lgTL29uxsiv_Y7980znKYDH68HqUG0eA3fMyiBoYqoknqNiaVth1kBzzzvgM2iqGqcVQaUr1vH5cHgkmXJhyphenhypheneP3j-jk-7ognA0YH15yfN5QyVgqtPYFgZOgkGqs/w400-h216/4.%20Gemser%20the%20Magician.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Additional extra features on disc four include <b>Crazy, Crazy World</b> (13m33s), an interview with make-up artist Pietro Tenoglio where he touches on his long-standing relationship with D’Amato whom he considers to be “not the least bit arrogant”, working with both Gemser and Ajita Wilson (who makes a surprise appearance in said film), and many anecdotes regarding these rather “comical films.” Recorded during the 1994 Eurofest, <b>After Hours with Joe D’Amato</b> (12m28s) is a very casual and relaxed interview segment with the director. In it, he goes into his reasons for getting into the hardcore film market, why he shot alternate versions for many of his films, censorship, and much more. The film’s original English export trailer (3m32s) is also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-_eP0oWWTO8kX6E0s82Z3SH9xuhZeWNR3qxVuAhM5Psh6TRFXhEHBgGR3tfhK0pyj0w1F5EZtbWm-P3pEccx6aFw3oEyj2NpZ7wYLnYh6Q1zwWD07vPD0d7D6CbFMujBBNb451mKn1nBl8yNBs3XvBx9WRqBgqnnZ-69nPXRBlhNzGgkn5asDJshqLI/s1431/1.%20Heavenly%20Gemser.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1431" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-_eP0oWWTO8kX6E0s82Z3SH9xuhZeWNR3qxVuAhM5Psh6TRFXhEHBgGR3tfhK0pyj0w1F5EZtbWm-P3pEccx6aFw3oEyj2NpZ7wYLnYh6Q1zwWD07vPD0d7D6CbFMujBBNb451mKn1nBl8yNBs3XvBx9WRqBgqnnZ-69nPXRBlhNzGgkn5asDJshqLI/w400-h215/1.%20Heavenly%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Moving onto disc five, Laura Gemser dons a habit and becomes a nun in <b>SISTER EMANUELLE</b> (1977)! Directed by Giuseppe Vari (here using his regular alias ‘Joseph Warren’) from an original story by lowly director Mario Gariazzo and <b>BLACK EMANUELLE</b> scribe Ambrogio Molteni, this was yet another attempt to bust out of the more typical mould of an Emanuelle outing. At the behest of her frustrated father (Rik Battaglia), pampered nymphomaniac rich bitch Monika (Monika Zanchi) is sent to the convent whereupon Sister Emanuelle is assigned to try and help restrain her out-of-control sexual urges (“<i>She’s got the devil in her!</i>”). However, when Emanuelle gets into a catfight in the convent’s courtyard with the would-be novice, Emanuelle lands in hot water herself for exposing her swanky undies. Things only go from bad to worse for poor Emanuelle when Monika harbours a dangerous fugitive (Gabriele Tinti) within the convent walls…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XzvwZt7bTsU-kSYIp2f92BDHwZn8lSjPHagwk9XuAp5tve1zf6CF0Fbi2TLPKtj8Eq8LjQV8x07YPmdKyhBGmUQGLDb7V0fsi8HulU-5uSMTXU892GlxBZrZP91-C83PoAsg0Q3uSopUHBiwtATYNXQADt4JyI5U6ziFw8a7lFCfoUzL2njO-lyULdI/s1432/2.%20Monika%20Zanchi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1432" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XzvwZt7bTsU-kSYIp2f92BDHwZn8lSjPHagwk9XuAp5tve1zf6CF0Fbi2TLPKtj8Eq8LjQV8x07YPmdKyhBGmUQGLDb7V0fsi8HulU-5uSMTXU892GlxBZrZP91-C83PoAsg0Q3uSopUHBiwtATYNXQADt4JyI5U6ziFw8a7lFCfoUzL2njO-lyULdI/w400-h216/2.%20Monika%20Zanchi%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As played by Gemser – who looks quite heavenly in her nun’s habit – the conflicted Emanuelle character tries her very hardest to comport herself with feminine dignity even if she is constantly tempted by the sins of the flesh or suffering constant foul-mouthed tirades from Monika. Knowing precisely what buttons to push, Monika constantly taunts her about joining the nunnery and attempts to ‘consumate’ her loathe / hate relationship with Emanuelle. Elsewhere, Monika even seduces her innocent roommate Anna (Vinja Locatelli) during a peak moment of duress (“<i>You mustn’t! Go away! It’s wrong!</i>”) whose warped idea of a seduction verges on all-out rape. In a typically lewd backstory, the script endeavours to fabricate the real reason for Monika’s sex-obsessed rationale when she has an affair with her sexually voracious stepmom (Dirce Funari). Complete with a few instances of briefly glimpsed hardcore footage, which doesn’t appear to have been crudely ‘inserted’ after the fact, this highly-charged erotic effort dispenses with much of the traditional trappings of an Emanuelle film, but succeeds admirably as an appropriately nasty nun shocker. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_bJuqFBCFq8YfupUc6ujERGFB80SDdwXlbRPTzmXIkl7wGnaSckvtCS1vtvc45EljpU25-152InkzI1DAZ2zS8UfEX2zxTy_ni6ybmixSk7rybLLnRLJHyl3U4mS-qNQ00LSOOgxl6HB5dXgqR-SeCDVhXkMhqsyWufCPE3LWtfv0tSetP7dCMAc80g/s1428/3.%20Gabriele%20Tinti.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1428" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_bJuqFBCFq8YfupUc6ujERGFB80SDdwXlbRPTzmXIkl7wGnaSckvtCS1vtvc45EljpU25-152InkzI1DAZ2zS8UfEX2zxTy_ni6ybmixSk7rybLLnRLJHyl3U4mS-qNQ00LSOOgxl6HB5dXgqR-SeCDVhXkMhqsyWufCPE3LWtfv0tSetP7dCMAc80g/w400-h216/3.%20Gabriele%20Tinti.png" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>SISTER EMANUELLE</b> first became available to most U.S. / Canada viewers via Private Screenings’ 1989 VHS videocassette (“<i>There are sisters and there are… sisters!</i>”), which looked extremely soft and hazy, while in Europe, the more sexually explicit version surfaced on the Swiss-based Italian language label Star Video. In 2007, the film made its North American DVD debut as part of Severin’s Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 1, which looked superb when compared to any previous VHS tape. Extras consisted of deleted scenes of the aforementioned hardcore bits (taken from the Star Video VHS), and the film’s theatrical trailer. Featuring a new 2K scan of the full uncut version, the new Severin Blu-ray improves upon the DVD significantly, which appears very film-like with nice colour balance and excellent detail. As per usual, the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks feature English and Italian audio options, which are effective enough, but the audio really shines whenever Stelvio Cipriani’s propelling rhythms take over. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3hcOcQvzgBWzovJtqRG9otf_Sc6rIS_6UwixgRkiDbYRdjpzVvnJzNgqoffQDgWuQImzL6S8dU1vrqWUeMPYyYyhbwVkSwrqTmZkGyNwdKuogLt1xYwDxvpmArQ812g8IAvpo3cFXRqxpGdfbixkUyfrhdAVwrdBRD05jDuxHGp3AcK7fyVAL39XiuI/s1428/4.%20Gabriele%20Tinti%20and%20Monika%20Zanchi.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1428" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3hcOcQvzgBWzovJtqRG9otf_Sc6rIS_6UwixgRkiDbYRdjpzVvnJzNgqoffQDgWuQImzL6S8dU1vrqWUeMPYyYyhbwVkSwrqTmZkGyNwdKuogLt1xYwDxvpmArQ812g8IAvpo3cFXRqxpGdfbixkUyfrhdAVwrdBRD05jDuxHGp3AcK7fyVAL39XiuI/w400-h216/4.%20Gabriele%20Tinti%20and%20Monika%20Zanchi.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Outside of the film’s superior transfer, Severin have also seen fit to include a new audio commentary with writer and academic Lindsay Hallam, which covers a lot of ground beginning with how this film “goes against everything that has been set-up about Emanuelle in previous films”; Monika Zanchi’s “lethal Lolita” character; the film’s theme of voyeurism and “revealing the forbidden”, a thorough discussion of nunsploitation tropes and films, and the film’s unique place within the expansive Emanuelle series, in what amounts to a very informative and interesting listen, which sheds plenty of light on this mostly neglected film. The film’s theatrical trailer (3m47s) finishes off the extras.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_I7xZRcJA52UTVfTWQmTLel_-l6ZKTkzvQvTqOGTuaehbQFWBGp6xr6-gpa4r8I8uEsuO39l7XOws8HnwmZ7WL4bx8KfuvRfoIeNdfy1spWmpFwCBDIlZSn1Lwr6pgGxeFPdN7ddG9KZIrSXhBGB3qM0-AD2WkCjndhvOaIRV_V-q9lgCBuMl3lJbrU/s1434/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1434" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_I7xZRcJA52UTVfTWQmTLel_-l6ZKTkzvQvTqOGTuaehbQFWBGp6xr6-gpa4r8I8uEsuO39l7XOws8HnwmZ7WL4bx8KfuvRfoIeNdfy1spWmpFwCBDIlZSn1Lwr6pgGxeFPdN7ddG9KZIrSXhBGB3qM0-AD2WkCjndhvOaIRV_V-q9lgCBuMl3lJbrU/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite the film’s salacious title, Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE</b> (1978), the second film on disc five, possesses a similarly spirited demeanor as the first <b>BLACK EMANUELLE</b> film. While trying to photograph and interview Giorgio Rivetti (Venantino Venantini), a notorious gangster from Italy hiding out in Africa, Emanuelle (Laura Gemser) and fellow photographer Susan Towers (Ely Galleani) also take time out to enjoy the sights on the Dark Continent, which even includes a spontaneous make-out session with Susan’s local car mechanic, or “her superman” as she excitedly refers to him. They eventually meet and interview the elusive mob boss thanks to the help of a local prince (Pierre Marfurt), which leads to the obligatory make-out sessions, and more fittingly exotic travelogue scenes. At the airport, Emanuelle and Susan catch a glimpse of a man possibly exchanging money for a young woman, but unable to do anything, she forgets about the occurrence. Later, while back in the U.S., she quickly learns about a “hostess club racket” while the man at the airport turns out to be Francis Harley (Gabriele Tinti), a shadowy individual that lurks on the sidelines. After witnessing a clandestine slave auction in a hotel meeting room (!), Emanuelle takes on the task of investigating this operation by infiltrating Madame Claude’s (Gota Gobert) high-end brothel…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHtkF3oF-7UUqnnfyuNKoQuuTSeGq0JifzSfWCZA_K3pGH6ON6eHuygf6MzurZpRjs_UElm7f_fzRHUg0nmKBz5Z1oS00J6kVx6muiCY6zJP686F3bgqOp1wO5c0dUIZah2RPaZsfy6qQKmK8Aq-cxxW3X5A69tFBSL5QfbhQzuV6zBvOOGVVlXLFyhg/s1435/2.%20Gabriele%20Tinti%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1435" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHtkF3oF-7UUqnnfyuNKoQuuTSeGq0JifzSfWCZA_K3pGH6ON6eHuygf6MzurZpRjs_UElm7f_fzRHUg0nmKBz5Z1oS00J6kVx6muiCY6zJP686F3bgqOp1wO5c0dUIZah2RPaZsfy6qQKmK8Aq-cxxW3X5A69tFBSL5QfbhQzuV6zBvOOGVVlXLFyhg/w400-h216/2.%20Gabriele%20Tinti%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While it may lack the driving tabloid dynamism found in the previous entries, Emanuelle nonetheless embarks on her noble quest with grim determination (“<i>Journalist or not, my dear. You know too much!</i>” remarks Madame Claude), even if, D’Amato’s script (co-written by Romano Scandariato) pilfers most of the white slavery storyline from his very own <b>EMANUELLE AROUND THE WORLD</b>. Although possessing a plot thinner than a spaghetti strand, D’Amato’s stunning imagery incorporates picture-postcard views of exotic locales and busy New York cityscapes, but is most enjoyable during the film’s plentiful softcore sex scenes, which he shoots and edits with fast-paced, genuine energy. As usual, Gemser is charismatically persistent, but after their criminal plot has been exposed, Madame Claude seeks to keep her quiet and mete out punishment via a “lobotomy.” An occasionally perverse ambiance prevails when Emanuelle gains the trust of Madame Claude’s transvestite henchman (Nicola D’Eramo), and no sooner have they escaped, Emanuelle is gang-raped in a bowling alley, while her cohort is pummeled to death with a bowling pin during a particularly nasty bit of action. As with most Emanuelle films thus far, it is softened by an unexpectedly expected anti-climax, which is more in keeping with the general tone of the movie. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPNv0-mLAbzuTWCyekzO54W3xS9AGBS5s0UHbP1ITB0-fQrUGxZnW9f3ho1uilO4GtMOqEP2fwl9g1brw2o0WDH6-exJf-l0_MPIJgBp6a-vvI0fCda1Qk4lik1CbEU8SMwU9bDIWdDL7lDUvHoP8Sb5XQmZn3enrsb6lU2UkgKIEAOhwox_9OUpCjI4/s1436/3.%20Safari.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1436" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPNv0-mLAbzuTWCyekzO54W3xS9AGBS5s0UHbP1ITB0-fQrUGxZnW9f3ho1uilO4GtMOqEP2fwl9g1brw2o0WDH6-exJf-l0_MPIJgBp6a-vvI0fCda1Qk4lik1CbEU8SMwU9bDIWdDL7lDUvHoP8Sb5XQmZn3enrsb6lU2UkgKIEAOhwox_9OUpCjI4/w400-h215/3.%20Safari.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A difficult film to track down during the VHS era, most North American audiences had to suffer through various bootlegs, which were usually taken from either the Dutch or Greek PAL videocassettes. In 2007, as part of their Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 2, Severin debuted the film on DVD in its first official English-friendly edition, which was a huge improvement over those crummy PAL to NTSC transferred dubs. The brief extras included the aforementioned <b>After Hours with Joe D’Amato</b> interview, and the film’s original English export trailer. While Full Moon released the film as a bare bones Blu in 2022, nothing but praise should be given to Severin and their remarkable new disc, which looks absolutely stellar with deeper, richer colours and plenty of fine detail. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks in English or Italian aren’t overly-rigorous mixes (with cheaper-than-usual English dubbing), but sound fine without anything to complain about.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmiQudtW4r5ZkfGSze2Ni-6CynqccqmdhMgeT9ucExEjtSf7XPsbUIZGbhV6oICyVnG23OD_G2jrlUMpdXbKAWI1FftK2SRck2_CINlYBSz4_e2xvSbaUArHIi2np7fEeJkJoQkVFgKwhZIfLJoyVQwHYgzZUQNGSM2CYsJPf-24VIPEQ55Ls0PvsIEo/s1432/5.%20Bowling%20Alley.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1432" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmiQudtW4r5ZkfGSze2Ni-6CynqccqmdhMgeT9ucExEjtSf7XPsbUIZGbhV6oICyVnG23OD_G2jrlUMpdXbKAWI1FftK2SRck2_CINlYBSz4_e2xvSbaUArHIi2np7fEeJkJoQkVFgKwhZIfLJoyVQwHYgzZUQNGSM2CYsJPf-24VIPEQ55Ls0PvsIEo/w400-h216/5.%20Bowling%20Alley.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Unlike Full Moon’s Blu, Severin’s disc is filled-to-the-brim with extra features beginning with an audio commentary from film programmer Lars Nilsen where he enthusiastically discusses the overall series and how they were released, the colourful cast including the “extraordinarily photogenic” Laura Gemser and D’Amato’s ongoing relationship with Gemser and Tinti, recurring crew members, how D’Amato’s initial notoriety stemmed from his “extreme gore” horror films, his filmmaking efficiency, the film’s “poorly executed ending”, and even more oodles of illuminating tidbits. A great listen, indeed! Next up, Venantino Venantini is interviewed in <b>The Bohemian</b> (10m27s) who gets his say on making these Em(m)anuelle films including his work with both Sylvia Kristal and Gemser whom he recalls as being “beautiful, kind, and really charming”, and all the great trips he made around the world making “bad movies.” In the wonderfully poignant 2016 documentary <b><i>COME IN UN FILM: LA VERA STORIA DI GABRIELE (GASTONE) TINTI </i></b>(50m26s), director Riccardo Marchesini delves into the actor’s life and career via several interviews and fascinating film clips with his many friends and relatives who knew him both personally and professionally, and in a rare on-camera interview, Laura Gemser speaks warmly of her late husband. The film’s English export trailer (2m26s) is also included. </span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-91213665918494441532023-12-10T00:32:00.002-05:002023-12-10T00:56:41.787-05:00THE SENSUAL WORLD OF BLACK EMANUELLE - BLU-RAY REVIEW PART 1<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CncPg56VehBUhWgXJw4M8SbZwuVzWRU8_-0Cumh_8sqZJUMhyi2sK0iA6OtpIToattEHeur117SURGmDQ-Om8Yul3yzePJRZk4uBhkPfH1cPrcs7JolO5_Ix0mQl_JTRhvde7G16gzhyphenhyphenTgDqDOxc8lZl37_3yhha5jtOSwPAVE9ZRyj9mtC3jetkKPo/s1436/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1436" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CncPg56VehBUhWgXJw4M8SbZwuVzWRU8_-0Cumh_8sqZJUMhyi2sK0iA6OtpIToattEHeur117SURGmDQ-Om8Yul3yzePJRZk4uBhkPfH1cPrcs7JolO5_Ix0mQl_JTRhvde7G16gzhyphenhyphenTgDqDOxc8lZl37_3yhha5jtOSwPAVE9ZRyj9mtC3jetkKPo/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Released stateside by the Jerry Gross Organization in 1980, the colourful US release poster for Joe D'Amato's <b>EMANUELLE AROUND THE WORLD </b>(1977) promised “to take you places you’ve never been before”, which not only sums up said film, but the entire – and <i>very</i> lengthy - Black Emanuelle franchise as well. Brought about by the enormous worldwide success of Just Jaeckin’s <b>EMMANUELLE</b> (1974) starring Sylvia Kristel, which itself took inspiration from Emmanuelle Arsan’s hugely-popular novels, the Black Emanuelle films (notice the omission of one “M” from the title to avoid any possible copycat lawsuits) were easily the most popular by-product of Jaeckin’s sizable hit. Revealing many of the same preoccupations, including exotic locales, liberated women and sexual freedom, Adalberto “Bitto” Albertini’s <b>BLACK EMANUELLE </b>(1975) introduced proper the strikingly photogenic Laura Gemser to the world, who would go on to star in a series of increasingly wild films as the well-travelled shutterbug, and thanks mostly in part to director ‘Joe D’Amato’/Aristide Massaccesi, subsequent entries ventured into far darker territory, which guaranteed an outrageous variation on the classic softcore film scenario. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12mWGnWcO2MLiE-8YD_iYZcuwAgot5SfqiJSbhWZR66x1CkcXZgvbOmAzMDTB-lzyOUl8wvPIGlgm4ytDsNjk4I6ntLOngPH5EJSn665DIvpbnwpuHoZ41dZSjEzf-BpFTzRuyKZ-fZecRLJnl2bi0kH6-hMktU7Ujfm8lJv-pE8CgwgoTaepPnHTRTw/s1435/3.%20Emanuelle%20and%20the%20Locals.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1435" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12mWGnWcO2MLiE-8YD_iYZcuwAgot5SfqiJSbhWZR66x1CkcXZgvbOmAzMDTB-lzyOUl8wvPIGlgm4ytDsNjk4I6ntLOngPH5EJSn665DIvpbnwpuHoZ41dZSjEzf-BpFTzRuyKZ-fZecRLJnl2bi0kH6-hMktU7Ujfm8lJv-pE8CgwgoTaepPnHTRTw/w400-h216/3.%20Emanuelle%20and%20the%20Locals.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although readily available on VHS during the format’s early days from such pioneering home video companies as Magnetic Video and Vid America, many of these analog releases were heavily edited, and further compromised by shoddy film-to-tape transfers. The digital age proved to be far more respectful with several uncut releases surfacing thanks to adventurous boutique labels such as Severin Films and Blue Underground, but various rights issues led most of these DVDs to go out-of-print many years ago. Fortunately, thanks to Severin’s painstaking efforts, this beautifully curated, years-in-the-making, 24-film (!), 15-disc (!) Blu-ray box set finally saw the light of day, and can easily be considered one of the most impressive collections ever conceived for the home video market. So, grab your passport, take a swig of J&B, and enter the sensual world of Black Emanuelle…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNKo2-jVDuTGqa0Jt0pO5dhIXWaKa1QXDB0Y6jLqlwsAk4F3PgS1ki6GtYfJEXayQXv_lBnVbE53VMH-gCM0BQ_6wf6ZKBVWsj3DndbHGuuGxzv3F4Q4a1zhixPXGGlg7G6pxr2TatQhlgAS4CdzsE8nufJ0qeVRkEy7Fx-NtaMQpDsutJ4TCdSM7CWA/s2936/8.%20Karin%20Schubert.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2936" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNKo2-jVDuTGqa0Jt0pO5dhIXWaKa1QXDB0Y6jLqlwsAk4F3PgS1ki6GtYfJEXayQXv_lBnVbE53VMH-gCM0BQ_6wf6ZKBVWsj3DndbHGuuGxzv3F4Q4a1zhixPXGGlg7G6pxr2TatQhlgAS4CdzsE8nufJ0qeVRkEy7Fx-NtaMQpDsutJ4TCdSM7CWA/w400-h215/8.%20Karin%20Schubert.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Given her nomadic nature, the lovely Laura Gemser is first seen on an airplane during the opening moments of Albertini’s <b>BLACK EMANUELLE</b>, where she witnesses a couple making out in the next row as Nico Fidenco’s sensational score swells on the soundtrack. Arriving in Nairobi (a seemingly popular filming destination for many an Italian crew during the time), Gemser stars as Mae Jordan, a world-renowned photographer, who is hired by a travel magazine. She is greeted at the airport by Ann Danieli (Karin Schubert) and later her husband Gianni (Angelo Infanti), who becomes infatuated with her. In between photo assignments on the African savannah, some of which develop into nude photo-modelling sessions with Ann (“<i>You really know what you’re doing. You make me look like a model!</i>”), she is introduced to Ann and Gianni’s friends Gloria (Isabelle Marchal), her husband Richard (Gabriele Tinti), a local professor (Don Powell) and an eccentric artist (Venantino Venantini), all of whom are captivated by Mae’s innate beauty and self-confidence (“<i>With men, I’m the one who takes the lead.</i>”) as they jump in and out of bed with her and each other. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK865o57dtvqkJg4f8Z-PQ6WLYaVIu0P2MIeszuRSs5Voc-wdHDWDgDKpqJcs8aDFwTC9-e-dIquVMVJDZvnP1_Dqw8lY4Ogsqkk79exE1MvCZwB2aBc2TSuOob1t4-bO_r2kEUt0sDufTX5obbDz0oT9W5ax4OO2eSROuSinJIxmxemzViH9R6IeEhqg/s2932/6.%20Poolside%20alternate.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2932" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK865o57dtvqkJg4f8Z-PQ6WLYaVIu0P2MIeszuRSs5Voc-wdHDWDgDKpqJcs8aDFwTC9-e-dIquVMVJDZvnP1_Dqw8lY4Ogsqkk79exE1MvCZwB2aBc2TSuOob1t4-bO_r2kEUt0sDufTX5obbDz0oT9W5ax4OO2eSROuSinJIxmxemzViH9R6IeEhqg/w400-h215/6.%20Poolside%20alternate.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">At one point, Emanuelle calmly remarks, “Tomorrow I’ll be sent on another job. There will be other people and different situations.” Truer words have never been spoken. In all honesty, there really isn’t too much going on here, but this is an irresistibly amiable example of creative ambition that vastly oversteps its financial limitations, and remains consistently entertaining thanks to Gemser’s alluring presence, Carlo Carlini’s eye-catching photography, Fidenco’s aforementioned score, and an attractive and more-than-willing cast. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOYZGA-HWyq-XdaoFUsvSDGH_zbxqw86Hoh22lE8eqtxyx44rXGkPQjF01XT_7lgEsldEOSsgBJPl2T9gTcxIOaphmpdn9aWAb59N3oJOZhet2APB4WibAuGpu7ezfOnbX_K4-XRrMFrsWdoZRYZXzaVOBnR1VR3f8ghHAkqc4cXXdB788Tkx1GQF5eY/s2932/5.%20Angelo%20Infanti%20and%20Emanuelle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2932" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOYZGA-HWyq-XdaoFUsvSDGH_zbxqw86Hoh22lE8eqtxyx44rXGkPQjF01XT_7lgEsldEOSsgBJPl2T9gTcxIOaphmpdn9aWAb59N3oJOZhet2APB4WibAuGpu7ezfOnbX_K4-XRrMFrsWdoZRYZXzaVOBnR1VR3f8ghHAkqc4cXXdB788Tkx1GQF5eY/w400-h215/5.%20Angelo%20Infanti%20and%20Emanuelle.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although released on VHS by Magnetic Video in 1979, this was never issued on North American DVD, but it did get released on UK, Australian and Italian DVD, with the latter debuting the film’s rarely-seen hardcore version (more on that later). As to be expected, Severin’s new Blu-ray is a real sight for sore eyes, which features a stunning, lifelike transfer that brings out the African backdrop to its fullest, while skin tones and detail look solid during the numerous softcore couplings, all of which help better appreciate this landmark of Italian erotica. The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio 2.0 tracks are presented in both English and Italian and sound clean and consistent throughout. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZtfgmdazlDkMmA2JxB7L_J3Hplon5ioAfnmbN9MN-avY4XP2HZ_Kqpj5o6-dNdgfyq4R7yEwfHfTcsdg4xT7BWrzqpwIeFmuGHtO8g8C6NaCRqJoHjNAOsM16pwFi29EEPbR-Z4QszUrhWyCxMhsL7vWAD5axIyOwnHX8YTBJL0En6aosdfoIcWpce0/s1436/4.%20Tribal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1436" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZtfgmdazlDkMmA2JxB7L_J3Hplon5ioAfnmbN9MN-avY4XP2HZ_Kqpj5o6-dNdgfyq4R7yEwfHfTcsdg4xT7BWrzqpwIeFmuGHtO8g8C6NaCRqJoHjNAOsM16pwFi29EEPbR-Z4QszUrhWyCxMhsL7vWAD5axIyOwnHX8YTBJL0En6aosdfoIcWpce0/w400-h215/4.%20Tribal.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The extensive extras begin with an audio commentary with film programmer Jazmyne Moreno who offers plenty of information, especially for the uninitiated, but it’s all delivered with a rather mocking tone, which will probably put off many viewers, especially when compared to the love and respect that has been afforded on these films elsewhere in this set. A missed opportunity. In <b>Exoticizing Blackness and Erotic Sovereignty in Black Emanuelle</b> (33m20s), adult film historian Mireille Miller-Young discusses her first experiences with discovering the Black Emanuelle films and how Gemser brought a “grace and eloquence to the role.” She also discusses the modernization of Africa, the racism in the series, the “complexities and intermixing of characters”, and how Emanuelle is a “modern women asserting her erotic sovereignty.” This is a wonderful, thought-provoking interview, and well worth your time. In <b>I Am Your Black Queen</b> (11m12s), an archival audio interview with Laura Gemser conducted by Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici, Gemser goes over her beginnings as a model, her early film roles, her long collaboration with Joe D’Amato, and a very funny anecdote about her infamous snake dance from <b>BLACK COBRA</b> (1976). Next up, Kier-La Janisse, Stephen Broomer and Manlio Gomarasca present a tribute to Laura Gemser in <b>The Reluctant Icon </b>(19m55s), a beautifully produced doc (highlighted by some rather dazzling animation thanks to Leslie Supnet and Ashley Thorpe) that goes over the history of the movies and the French films that inspired it, Gemser’s relationship with actor/husband Gabriele Tinti (“<i>The greatest love story of all time!</i>”), the “pro-sex feminism” of the films, the “exotico erotico” angle, and much more in what is one of the finest, most notable extras in the entire box set. In <b>Black Emanuelle’s Groove</b> (13m54s), Nico Fidenco in interviewed in yet another archival extra wherein he talks about his early days working at RCA, his working methods and the isolating nature of film composing, and working on all the Black Emanuelle films. The extensive extras finish off with the film’s lengthy theatrical trailer (5m25s), and the alternate XXX inserts (8m21s), which, despite using body doubles, are fairly well-done, but do stick out like a sore thumb when inserted into the main feature proper. Thankfully, Severin only includes these scenes as an extra only. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWvA_dT7NNU3TtqdmRCnk90LAoBbkMIgjp1hDTD2xh6ftCkF_L8vrIIQqTG1kHaXYSs65XbdAZ0_1Posa_DKX53zmf5W63QvmDgX4mCKNyLiFjBVbap7LQbz2WkoXu9wsdni94dvcdmzO1cugWZnRqean3a1_pmqsumu975Y9kVM7e_cC08BE2OZE-vE/s2930/1.%20Caged!.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2930" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWvA_dT7NNU3TtqdmRCnk90LAoBbkMIgjp1hDTD2xh6ftCkF_L8vrIIQqTG1kHaXYSs65XbdAZ0_1Posa_DKX53zmf5W63QvmDgX4mCKNyLiFjBVbap7LQbz2WkoXu9wsdni94dvcdmzO1cugWZnRqean3a1_pmqsumu975Y9kVM7e_cC08BE2OZE-vE/w400-h216/1.%20Caged!.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In <b>BLACK EMANUELLE No. 2</b> (1976), the second film on disc one, director Bitto Albertini returns in this name-only sequel, and in what turned out to be her only screen role, ‘Sharon Leslie’/Shulasmith Lasri replaces Gemser as the eponymous Emanuelle. Suffering from amnesia, Emanuelle Richman (Lasri) recalls her numerous sexual exploits to her psychiatrist, Dr. Paul (Angelo Infanti) in the hopes of unlocking her memory. Despite the validity of her recollections, Dr. Paul is unable to help, so he consults her father (Don Powell) and her ex-husband (Percy Hogan) in the hopes of finding answers to her current condition. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZa3MofYl6qQns-zD9BWZV-TcDsf4vvzOf8a0BE16Z3CCp3mBqW8cVmdnT6h-OmJdr7jNvMi49hqJmZvRpFlvXkwFfwwZsrDm-i9Vdga3y40EOAZyYzY8b3AK0LROcbz6u5TxxE9_zW6oYp5A0-okLDibo-W5hNX8k-XcAsXvC7wFJ3yI4z4BObSGs3g/s2930/2.%20Angelo%20Infanti%20and%20Sharon%20Leslie.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2930" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZa3MofYl6qQns-zD9BWZV-TcDsf4vvzOf8a0BE16Z3CCp3mBqW8cVmdnT6h-OmJdr7jNvMi49hqJmZvRpFlvXkwFfwwZsrDm-i9Vdga3y40EOAZyYzY8b3AK0LROcbz6u5TxxE9_zW6oYp5A0-okLDibo-W5hNX8k-XcAsXvC7wFJ3yI4z4BObSGs3g/w400-h215/2.%20Angelo%20Infanti%20and%20Sharon%20Leslie.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The opening scene promises much as Emanuelle is involved in several startling set-pieces, which even includes a typical BDSM scenario at the hands of a torturer in some third world dictatorship. Unfortunately, this rather showy opening is nothing more than a figment of Emanuelle’s overzealous imagination, and even though the sex scenes constantly pre-empt the storyline (such as it is), most of the film unfolds within the confines of a psychiatric hospital, sacrificing even the film’s noteworthy Manhattan setting. Needless to say, Laura Gemser is sorely missed, but one-time star Lasri more than fills the part (pun intended), even if she lacks the necessary charisma that Gemser brings to the role so naturally. Like the other films in the series, Albertini again populates his film with several familiar faces including Dagmar Lassander as Dr. Paul’s neglected wife whose role herein amounts to nothing more than an extended – but much welcome - cameo. Brimming with gratuitous nudity and dime-store psychiatric mutterings, fans of Italian erotica should still find plenty to enjoy, even within the claustrophobic hospital setting.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGPi3lQMrxmAFtlA6OSJmWdmLXBv_d115DDa2ItVPXws4Z3_cvglfEmQgCB6pZbefq0xQZ_h3CiEwDWB4T_WdSWtahlLJnz3cxBFZeTNns2sN7TGIc8qGY4riZy7Zn1EsbfXvj9xrBQGLi4wF4zCGGeD4Z6EYgBkLNYvbHDnVwRRfSSmuIuSQzmU5Sd8/s2932/3.%20Sharon%20Leslie.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2932" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGPi3lQMrxmAFtlA6OSJmWdmLXBv_d115DDa2ItVPXws4Z3_cvglfEmQgCB6pZbefq0xQZ_h3CiEwDWB4T_WdSWtahlLJnz3cxBFZeTNns2sN7TGIc8qGY4riZy7Zn1EsbfXvj9xrBQGLi4wF4zCGGeD4Z6EYgBkLNYvbHDnVwRRfSSmuIuSQzmU5Sd8/w400-h215/3.%20Sharon%20Leslie.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A little more challenging to find during the heyday of VHS, the film turned up officially in a number of European countries, and in Canada courtesy of the Toronto-based Vogue Video, but this heavily-cropped, edited, and poorly-telecined transfer was nigh unwatchable. One of the first DVDs out of the gate was X-Rated Kult’s hardbox edition, which offered a decent 16x9 transfer with German, English, and Italian language options. A smattering of perfunctory extras included a newly constructed trailer as <b><i>EMANUELLE NERA UND IHRE WILDEN HENGSTE</i></b> (trans: Black Emanuelle and Her Wild Stallions [!]), a few deleted scenes, and trailers for some of X-Rated’s other product. In 2007, as part of their Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 2, Severin released the film for the first time in the U.S. in a far more pleasing transfer, which also included <b>Diva ’70</b> (15m52s), an on-camera interview with Lassander, who reveals all sorts in interesting tidbits about her varied career. Of course, Severin’s new Blu-ray offers another significant upgrade, which features richer colours, pleasing depth, and looks very appealing overall. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks in English and Italian (with optional English subtitles) are both first-rate, especially when given the dubbed nature of these films. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhpjiAgv1IQAeCQO9Qr3tjpbjQzJqMhXWScqWBdssX_P320951TeYlP3Qp41Ux-6H1fNO2BoPWWLlSDKBumzG3kQlz7KnWtkAGioay2CXd85ZMTvhvExQtz4EJcPPYPwPgkqTVArgfk3gIq1Taz7AtghLvkzi0ZBNPFgHAGjkH1o89RGazmB1hJqo7Xo/s2934/4.%20Don%20Powell.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2934" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhpjiAgv1IQAeCQO9Qr3tjpbjQzJqMhXWScqWBdssX_P320951TeYlP3Qp41Ux-6H1fNO2BoPWWLlSDKBumzG3kQlz7KnWtkAGioay2CXd85ZMTvhvExQtz4EJcPPYPwPgkqTVArgfk3gIq1Taz7AtghLvkzi0ZBNPFgHAGjkH1o89RGazmB1hJqo7Xo/w400-h215/4.%20Don%20Powell.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">On Severin’s new Blu-ray, the Lassander interview is once again included, but the big extra here is <b>Adalberto aka Bitto</b> (36m18s), a wonderful interview with Nocturno editor Davide Pulici, who goes over Bitto Albertini’s entire career delving into his unique “personality and black humour” and “troubled past”, his “smooth directing style”, his fascination with Africa, and the events which eventually led him to direct <b>BLACK EMANUELLE</b>. Other extras include another set of XXX inserts (6m45s) and the film’s original English export trailer narrated by the great Richard McNamara (“<i>White pearls against dark skin. Beautiful. Mysterious</i>.”).</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQA3h58e2XJcFwKejkync59yGBq4rQLn0tmPwqQIL3LLZpmZbPAW_SHATypKdBHgDZjHtwOYq9x8_sbhL5JNeYNu5yPqTnNPK-MLbif3ysVWVKjGf3QPZb2uPxGxIDiRauTtJJAxz2ftDIS_7DP_ZddV6SI8uGUsw_SsEZSDT951T1-BOPy8hj2FXaNJc/s1435/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1435" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQA3h58e2XJcFwKejkync59yGBq4rQLn0tmPwqQIL3LLZpmZbPAW_SHATypKdBHgDZjHtwOYq9x8_sbhL5JNeYNu5yPqTnNPK-MLbif3ysVWVKjGf3QPZb2uPxGxIDiRauTtJJAxz2ftDIS_7DP_ZddV6SI8uGUsw_SsEZSDT951T1-BOPy8hj2FXaNJc/w400-h215/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Moving onto the second disc, <b>EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK</b> (1976) was the first in a series of collaborations made by director Joe D’Amato and Gemser, and on the strength of their work here, they ended up working together for the next two decades. Aided by the smooth-talking Prince Sanit (Ivan Rassimov), Emanuelle arrives in Bangkok with the hopes of interviewing the elusive King of Thailand, and during her adventures she meets Roberto (Gabriele Tinti), an archeologist who quickly falls head over heels for her, a couple of crude American tourists (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart and Ely Galleani), and a Japanese masseuse (Koike Mahoco) ,which allows D’Amato to pay homage to the infamous rubdown in Just Jaeckin’s <b>EMMANUELLE 2</b> (1975), which incidentally, featured Gemser in one of her earliest appearances as, you guessed it, a sexy masseuse. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOTKbZGpbyZsISqWEyREoAN2mWTOzJNybYPPk9A8GUNemllmbqEcqosUgqo1m19RaBPGq7n8qebd8dcfk3pQ2xsJrU7K7OdQojQwia0cjplxfuHGzCYPtQY6gKFEVpqRnQFu5NRPFYou6oVUzgzS-WzKIAOFQ8bozX8kITZT-4x7ZmPQfL-dLc8LTmak/s1437/2.%20Venantino%20Venantini.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1437" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOTKbZGpbyZsISqWEyREoAN2mWTOzJNybYPPk9A8GUNemllmbqEcqosUgqo1m19RaBPGq7n8qebd8dcfk3pQ2xsJrU7K7OdQojQwia0cjplxfuHGzCYPtQY6gKFEVpqRnQFu5NRPFYou6oVUzgzS-WzKIAOFQ8bozX8kITZT-4x7ZmPQfL-dLc8LTmak/w400-h215/2.%20Venantino%20Venantini.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While it lacks the visceral punch of subsequent entries, <b>EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK</b> remains engaging nonetheless, and acts as a sort of sexed-up travelogue as D’Amato’s camera prowls the exotic streets of Bangkok transposing the entire softcore premise into a <i>mondo</i>-type setting that even includes some real-life animal violence. Meanwhile, to help augment the wafer-thin plot, a set of encounters with several mysterious strangers eventually turns ugly when government officials become “suspicious” about Emanuelle’s friendship with Prince Sanit, which forces her to leave Bangkok for Casablanca where further adventures await her, including a fling with the daughter (Debra Berger) of an ambassador (Venantino Venantini), and a chance meeting with Roberto…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhcAHdkAV_Mukqesaj8KtgCYVJD_hSAuCRctK14pFz1Q9HCest9aZq0UL4ej7I5RqtkyG9gM9E3C59FsFgALt-9amcjdM3l0VlRpNIFEHjViu8kMSwJnsL15AS8K1-WsPa6aqF4IpxD_kUBKpWyd5mGyrzJAPV5NmjTyhyyn8HLyS5wtuOw49g9Cn8dM/s1437/3.%20Ivan%20Rassimov%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1437" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhcAHdkAV_Mukqesaj8KtgCYVJD_hSAuCRctK14pFz1Q9HCest9aZq0UL4ej7I5RqtkyG9gM9E3C59FsFgALt-9amcjdM3l0VlRpNIFEHjViu8kMSwJnsL15AS8K1-WsPa6aqF4IpxD_kUBKpWyd5mGyrzJAPV5NmjTyhyyn8HLyS5wtuOw49g9Cn8dM/w400-h215/3.%20Ivan%20Rassimov%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">One of VidAmerica’s more widely-released VHS / Beta videocassettes (“<i>She’s sexier and more sensuous than ever!</i>”), this was one of the few Emanuelle films that was left intact, but the full-screen transfer definitely hampered Massaccesi’s energetic camerawork. The film’s first North American DVD release was issued in 2007 as part of Severin’s Black Emanuelle’s Box Volume 1, which was a generally impressive upgrade, despite the inclusion of VHS sourced opening and closing credit sequences. Severin’s Blu-ray boasts a new “2K scan from StudioCanal with additional restoration and color work by Severin Films”, and is surprisingly strong with solid black levels, vivid colours, and consistent textures. Severin’s usual high-quality really shines here, and for those that care about such details, they also restored the film’s proper opening and closing credits. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks, which are once again offered in English and Italian (with optional English subtitles) are presented without any flaws and are ably supported by another of Nico Fidenco’s memorable scores. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty2bQ8FP6PWEian3zJR5oWbVGM1S-xi9eDrGvVKb1gKNukSB5RVDt6Kt2CYSjT99za_a7pXAMBXQKqTAMv2miG_kqqT5elDlwP37kvNcP1HeWmUXgsKjDvvLanJSi4-ctrwfIoHTI8uH_pOfb2eZUkVeH4WMMreV4zxzlK_QMsCJY0775eAJOye_n1Qk/s1432/5.%20Debra%20Berger%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1432" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty2bQ8FP6PWEian3zJR5oWbVGM1S-xi9eDrGvVKb1gKNukSB5RVDt6Kt2CYSjT99za_a7pXAMBXQKqTAMv2miG_kqqT5elDlwP37kvNcP1HeWmUXgsKjDvvLanJSi4-ctrwfIoHTI8uH_pOfb2eZUkVeH4WMMreV4zxzlK_QMsCJY0775eAJOye_n1Qk/w400-h215/5.%20Debra%20Berger%20and%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The extra features begin with an audio commentary with Aaron AuBuchon, a Professor of Film wherein he discusses everything from how the Black Emanuelle films sit within the world of “straight erotica”, the history of the Emmanuelle <i>and</i> Emanuelle characters, the various cast and crew of the film, and so much more; it’s another winner, which viewers should enjoy very much. In <b>A Reflection of the Times</b> (6m52s), actor Debra Berger goes over her time working in Europe, and what a “blast from the past” it is talking about all these films, which includes plenty of stories of said film. In <b>Ivan the Terrible</b> (7m09s), an archival interview from 1999, actor Ivan Rassimov describes how much fun he had making the film in Bangkok, and how D’Amato was “full of humanity”, and a “friend and a great individual.” It seems Severin was unable to locate the film’s original export trailer, but they do include a unique home video preview (1m29s) instead.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1SI_z4VUOfcK3KxnKpiLmBfmeKVQ6Fg4i1UMLt6giWsdZqS403tpYI3JWoM2YEEZQcIzk2I1eDR0fF1iwLq_mxGIi_WdHqbgSOzSVvB6ED6y5IBAOJx_jRE9BnQcGp_UVMcev2aZi9mHsg6h3zQHd1ugb7bNraOFCKFj2_KpmtKQTxaHUYUNFBoiq40/s2930/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1580" data-original-width="2930" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1SI_z4VUOfcK3KxnKpiLmBfmeKVQ6Fg4i1UMLt6giWsdZqS403tpYI3JWoM2YEEZQcIzk2I1eDR0fF1iwLq_mxGIi_WdHqbgSOzSVvB6ED6y5IBAOJx_jRE9BnQcGp_UVMcev2aZi9mHsg6h3zQHd1ugb7bNraOFCKFj2_KpmtKQTxaHUYUNFBoiq40/w400-h216/1.%20Laura%20Gemser.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The next film on disc two is Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b> (1976), a title that has gained a great deal of infamy since the discovery of a longer and much more sexually graphic version, which first appeared on Venezuelan videocassette (in English with Spanish subtitles) in the late ’80s as <b><i>EMMANUELLE NEGRA EN AMERICA </i></b>(notice the double ‘M’) via ADB Video. Although it begins in a typically light-hearted fashion, the film’s style soon displays a distinctly different attitude as it mixes the usual softcore playfulness alongside hardcore sex and some truly jarring violence. Taking into account that it does take place in ‘America’, the film rightly begins in New York City, where Emanuelle (Gemser) lives and works with Bill (Riccardo Salvino), a fellow reporter, but in her spare time, she also moonlights as a part-time fashion photographer. Following a lively photo shoot, Emanuelle is held at gunpoint by one of her model’s boyfriends, a self-professed ‘saviour’ who believes Emanuelle “corrupted” his girlfriend. This crackpot is convinced that the world has “No more values, no more ideals, and no morality left”, a sentiment which is echoed repeatedly throughout the film as D’Amato pushes the limits of what is deemed ‘acceptable’. As with Emanuelle’s erstwhile abductor who succumbs to her libidinous flirtations, the viewer is also compulsively drawn into the film’s ever-increasing spiral of perversions and violence, which includes an illegal arms dealer (Lar Bloch) who also operates a high-end brothel outside of San Diego, a kinky Italian Duke (Gabriele Tinti) and his wife (Paola Senatore), an anything goes stud-farm for single women, and a pervy-politico (Roger Browne) who screens some genuine snuff films for her… </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharkRgXvFiQk0Oec7BlZY-hTkUMNef54mPtxY9IZ9cowBdxosO4q00Xx8m8UsqPMeQlySmHnJJO-7zzhMFHdfGIzIWp_vWFNfBuSE15TxRn-BUuVMGErBxuM5HRpoeK3i0Xh0qTlWrjHlxrqEOP11zBP9AelRP46xDBL99cTi2Y77RoNjuHBgReM3LXGg/s2936/3.%20Venice.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="2936" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharkRgXvFiQk0Oec7BlZY-hTkUMNef54mPtxY9IZ9cowBdxosO4q00Xx8m8UsqPMeQlySmHnJJO-7zzhMFHdfGIzIWp_vWFNfBuSE15TxRn-BUuVMGErBxuM5HRpoeK3i0Xh0qTlWrjHlxrqEOP11zBP9AelRP46xDBL99cTi2Y77RoNjuHBgReM3LXGg/w400-h216/3.%20Venice.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As can probably be deduced from the busy if slender plot description, <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b> has far more on its mind than mere exploitation. Coming across like an open indictment of the rich and powerful, D’Amato and his scriptwriters Maria Pia Fusco, Ottavio Alessi and Piero Vivarelli give the viewer plenty to ponder, and not only address the rise of ever-more-explicit and obscene pornography, but more importantly, the ever-changing, voracious consumer culture that wants it all. It the end, D’Amato had nowhere left to go with the series, and despite his prolific career, he never made another film that had quite the same impact. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYZH-7heCJ9kMB0Wi9Ur1lh3oJreQhzFqzlnts_OOOs_6G58jgAI35_86A3eIb2wEDDuI1-vxp7JO4t4OFOS5LGYkBrmi-W_v_5iY0fjP0kcvnzEyBiBU087dXMfxYqkyMgKJJRWkFv7bmB6_39fUWro9KUTmeMq2TdQ1YhX6AyAT5AbOTavVGjtSNgI/s2932/4.%20On%20the%20Job.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2932" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYZH-7heCJ9kMB0Wi9Ur1lh3oJreQhzFqzlnts_OOOs_6G58jgAI35_86A3eIb2wEDDuI1-vxp7JO4t4OFOS5LGYkBrmi-W_v_5iY0fjP0kcvnzEyBiBU087dXMfxYqkyMgKJJRWkFv7bmB6_39fUWro9KUTmeMq2TdQ1YhX6AyAT5AbOTavVGjtSNgI/w400-h215/4.%20On%20the%20Job.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">First released on North American VHS / Beta videocassettes in 1983 by VidAmerica (“<i>She does it all for Old Glory!</i>”) this edition of <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b> was strictly softcore. In 2003, Blue Underground audaciously released the uncut film on DVD with a nice selection of extra features including an audio interview with Gemser herself. In 2019, Mondo Macabro issued the film on Blu-ray, which featured a new 4K transfer of the uncut version, with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio in both English and Italian (with optional English subtitles), and a host of new special features. First up, a new audio commentary from <a href="http://mondo-digital.com/#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>’s Nathaniel Thompson and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cinemaarcana" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cinema Arcana</span></a>’s Bruce Holecheck covered everything from the convoluted history of the entire E(m)manuelle franchise, lots of detail about the cast and crew including plenty of background info on Gemser and composer Fidenco, the film’s release history and its indirect connection to David Cronenberg’s <b>VIDEODROME </b>(1981) are just a few of the topics discussed. There is a lot to talk about and both of them are certainly up to the task in this fact-filled and highly-entertaining listen. In <b>Joe D’Amato Totally Uncut</b> (62m21s), the always personable director speaks candidly during a career-spanning interview filmed in 1999, which also features a generous amount of film clips from his substantial filmography. Author David Flint provides a visual essay, <b>Emanuelle: From 2 M’s to One: The Story of E(m)manuelle</b> (35m30s) where he covers everything from the original source novel and its author, Marayat Rollet-Andriane, and just about every spin-off/rip-off and variation that was made in the wake of its success, including tons of info on D’Amato’s own ‘unofficial’ contributions to the mythos. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVXyzabKGIGTivLlbxwUtJZR3GCXa1mnnO89rVWEHFQAh-NLoFjY9eGOkb43TccnxtZhWUW8XP82cWtMq-U-5DIhmRDmc2HS5qtTGpEXnFLIlaZNt_kZ_Yr5xVUCjZaJnGEirorgLjxFeaPeqSydT_UkT9tpZQYobmx_pn2-RU2ykitUEEf84d9KgCe4/s2926/5.%20Seduced.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2926" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVXyzabKGIGTivLlbxwUtJZR3GCXa1mnnO89rVWEHFQAh-NLoFjY9eGOkb43TccnxtZhWUW8XP82cWtMq-U-5DIhmRDmc2HS5qtTGpEXnFLIlaZNt_kZ_Yr5xVUCjZaJnGEirorgLjxFeaPeqSydT_UkT9tpZQYobmx_pn2-RU2ykitUEEf84d9KgCe4/w400-h216/5.%20Seduced.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Featuring what appears to be the same transfer as MM’s disc, which once again includes both English and Italian audio options (the latter with optional English subtitles), Severin’s release includes a whole slew of new and archival extras beginning with a new audio commentary with author and film historian Kat Ellinger where she talks about the confrontational nature of D’Amato’s film, the Sadean elements of his work and how he is “willing to go over the line”, his sense of fun “even when he shocks”, the changing times of the ’70s, the character of Emanuelle, and much more besides. As usual, it’s another intelligent, well thought out and researched listen that shouldn’t be missed. In a nice gesture, Severin also saw fit to include the aforementioned Thompson and Holecheck commentary as well. Additional extra features begin with <b>The Danish Man</b> (10m39s), an interview with character actor Lars Bloch who talks enthusiastically about D’Amato’s excellent working methods and how he “never wasted time” and was on the “level of Roger Corman”, his relationship with Gemser, and his work behind the scenes including film distribution. In <b>The Confessions of Diana Smith</b> (16m21s), actress Maria Piera Regnoli talks about her start in the industry and her “love” for Rome at that time, and D’Amato’s “kind and exquisite” personality. Production designer Marco Dentici has much the same feeling about D’Amato in <b>The Art of Sexy & Gore</b> (25m14s), and how there was “never a tense moment” on set. More specifically, he goes over his work on the film and the “formal elegance” he was trying to achieve with his “unique set design”, and the film’s very effective torture chamber for the film’s unforgettable snuff film sequences. Continuing to delve into the film’s horrific moments, legendary F/X artist Gianetto De Rossi gives lots of detailed explanations of his work on the film in <b>The Cutting of the Flesh</b> (10m36s). Fellow F/X artist Maurizio Trani is also interviewed in <b>The Devil’s Trick</b> (8m29s), and like his colleague, discusses how he landed in court when some of their work had gone “too far.” In <b>The Journalist</b> (13m23s), an audio interview with screenwriters Maria Pia Fusco and Piero Vivarelli, they discuss how this project morphed into the present film, it’s inspiration, and how Fusco “let off steam” writing this unique piece of work. In <b>The Naked City: Emanuelle in New York</b> (26m15s), Michael Gingold goes over all the film’s locations and points out all the errors and continuity discrepancies in this exceptionally well-researched doc. Lastly, the film’s original English export trailer (3m30s) is also included. </span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-61930298354853065902023-06-17T09:45:00.001-04:002023-06-18T08:37:45.630-04:00FRANKENSTEIN ’80 - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINW_PQi96vaBbUkgO7oqMnfNh_HiURkXoRaGKwCj2IxWfWc6RwNLD1_2a2mRksSniprzW6qgcjyoY7OTTfJUaU7JB_S5csYw6sjA9TQhQlQ9F7dTc0aPudvhJ5CWT4x9rAAfcesejgja3FrZDnTLdQoQuys9frO3T62patte13QbLlqDK_SwdTvqo/s1920/1.%20F80.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINW_PQi96vaBbUkgO7oqMnfNh_HiURkXoRaGKwCj2IxWfWc6RwNLD1_2a2mRksSniprzW6qgcjyoY7OTTfJUaU7JB_S5csYw6sjA9TQhQlQ9F7dTc0aPudvhJ5CWT4x9rAAfcesejgja3FrZDnTLdQoQuys9frO3T62patte13QbLlqDK_SwdTvqo/w400-h225/1.%20F80.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Outside of some dubious DVD bootlegs and pricey European imports, directorial one-timer Mario Mancini’s lowly, schlocky splatter flick <b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b> (1972) has – during this the still-ongoing digital age, at least – remained conspicuously absent in anything even close to resembling a passably watchable version. But now, thanks to Cauldron Films, this unabashedly seedy, skeezy and sleazy Italo-horror finally gets a real first-class presentation with their superb new Blu-ray. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW3T3qSYk29Mb84gwcEBl7Co-YjNcU-1amknblrDkw2qp4btlQvMDZbuIjLlBtlmMk8HUoGJKtG3B3FobvAHfr8o0BvVlVgkxFFie7ALUOEwzG75H9YL3WhxXIGDhrbgJQC0VfZ9tDJZqtUW9qvsZzt9PPvb7N4D6lTPiPKHqGcZNxMNYjhA5botH/s1920/2.%20John%20Richardson.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW3T3qSYk29Mb84gwcEBl7Co-YjNcU-1amknblrDkw2qp4btlQvMDZbuIjLlBtlmMk8HUoGJKtG3B3FobvAHfr8o0BvVlVgkxFFie7ALUOEwzG75H9YL3WhxXIGDhrbgJQC0VfZ9tDJZqtUW9qvsZzt9PPvb7N4D6lTPiPKHqGcZNxMNYjhA5botH/w400-h225/2.%20John%20Richardson.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Top surgeon Dr. Rudolf Schwarz (Bob Fiz) has developed a revolutionary anti-lymphocytic serum, which is supposed to help “modify the morphological picture and avoid rejection” during organ transplants. Apparently, this serum – which looks a lot like blue mouthwash, and quite possibly was! – is so innovative that it’s the only one of its kind in the entire world (!); and which, of course, shortly gets stolen from Schwarz’s office by a mysterious nocturnal intruder, right when the good doctor – and especially his current patient – needs it most. Enter Karl Schein (John Richardson). Karl is a reporter assigned to the “crime news desk” at some unspecified local newspaper, and is visiting his terminally-ill sister at the hospital, who is awaiting an urgent heart transplant c/o of Doc Schwarz, and will surely soon die without one. Due to that mysterious third party having absconded with Schwarz’s crucial serum the night before, Karl’s sister dies not long after her operation when her incompatible physiognomy rejects the donated heart, so her grieving brother – who doesn’t <i>really</i> seem all that bothered by her ‘tragic’ demise, quite frankly (chalk it up to underacting ‘star’ Richardson’s bored lack of interest in the material!) – is put on the “Schwarz serum case”. This special enquiry leads him to the hospital’s head pathologist, Dr. Otto Frankenstein (Gordon Mitchell) and his misshapen, stitched-together – and sexually voracious – monster, whom/which his creator has dubbed Mosaic (Xiro Papas). Incidentally, you’d think that any hospital which would hire-on an employee named Frankenstein, which also gave him free access to all the dead patients’ body parts might at least be suspicious of his motives and keep an eye on him, especially after hours… but apparently <i>not</i>!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQFnK8NIGu7Qc9lJjgH5R8xr2L2wd-1s_eklv75YcqNG19beTwNblnKhAF_RwKUIfwDrYf8Cylgz9thX2-XxRlOGm_Cml3YafpvWG3CXtPwFKe3TgGqvZS6CtMkKdigM1rkYeUyotCdjPbYbGbCmaUlJsMqw_nHioypzWUQ4wV57KLDhJjg4kDVpy/s1920/3.%20He%20had%20a%20bone%20to%20pick!.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQFnK8NIGu7Qc9lJjgH5R8xr2L2wd-1s_eklv75YcqNG19beTwNblnKhAF_RwKUIfwDrYf8Cylgz9thX2-XxRlOGm_Cml3YafpvWG3CXtPwFKe3TgGqvZS6CtMkKdigM1rkYeUyotCdjPbYbGbCmaUlJsMqw_nHioypzWUQ4wV57KLDhJjg4kDVpy/w400-h225/3.%20He%20had%20a%20bone%20to%20pick!.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Bearing some passing similarities to Mel Welles’ vastly superior <b>LADY FRANKENSTEIN</b> (1971), this micro-budgeted modern-day retelling of Mary Shelley’s most famous work is every bit as piecemeal as Frankenstein’s human jigsaw puzzle Mosaic in the film. As intriguing/puzzling as its ‘futuristic’ title is, most of this film’s running time is devoted to Mosaic its ‘Modern Prometheus’ simply roaming the streets of an unspecified European city (in what was evidently intended to be Germany, judging by the excess of Teutonic names in the cast of characters; although an olive-green Giulia <i>polizia</i> cruiser pegs the true location as being a whole lot closer to home in Mamma Italia). Rather than merely wandering aimlessly, Mosaic goes off searching for women and fresh body parts, much to his master’s chagrin. “You’ve <i>got</i> to stop killing! I’ll get you the organs you need! exclaims Dr. Frankenstein, alarmed by his cobbled-together creation’s increasingly murderous and uncontrollable behavior. Bald-pated, with big bushy eyebrows and sporting fresh surgery scars all over his face and body – as an ill-fated, short-lived hooker discovers, much to her horror – Mosaic also wears a Gestapo-like black leather trench-coat and black fedora hat (and a rather goofy one at that!) which makes him look like some wannabe ’40s-era hoodlum with a leather fetish. Unable to speak beyond uttering a few unintelligible grunts and groans here and there, he somehow <i>still</i> manages to pick up the odd unwary prostitute (“What’s the matter with you, eh?” asks one. “You made-up for Halloween?”), who definitely get more than they bargained for when they take this ‘john’ home to their bedsit. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobb6CzznU9a1rSbZJFHCZDpqXRb0cdAUsf9fbjz9qr_WPzByrB-4niU0wJvhAkj-zmjDRLmDQNhV_GsMkhMSX5ZpiTQmrz9FaLVEbjw4lFrWc7Jf6Z-nFiranFWWRwftS82RP8o-4AdN7HF39gG3AljiCI_jN0hTwK7TjucZB_u8g963hKyKJMg_6/s1920/4.%20Gordon%20Mitchell.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobb6CzznU9a1rSbZJFHCZDpqXRb0cdAUsf9fbjz9qr_WPzByrB-4niU0wJvhAkj-zmjDRLmDQNhV_GsMkhMSX5ZpiTQmrz9FaLVEbjw4lFrWc7Jf6Z-nFiranFWWRwftS82RP8o-4AdN7HF39gG3AljiCI_jN0hTwK7TjucZB_u8g963hKyKJMg_6/w400-h225/4.%20Gordon%20Mitchell.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Like the protagonist of some third-rate <i>giallo</i>, our disinterested hero Karl snoops about both figuratively and literally in the dark, and along with Schneider (Renato Romano), a <i>very</i> frustrated police Inspector (“Give me the essence of it! The <i>juice</i>, ya know?!”), they discover Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, which is secretly – laughably enough – hidden behind a swinging partition within the very hospital itself. In the meantime, Mosaic goes on a continuous killing spree while the police sit back twiddling their thumbs and biding their time, if nothing else doing their bit to pad the film out to an, um, ‘respectable’ running length. Another purely extraneous bit of business involves ‘special guest star’ Luigi “Gigi” Bonos, the then-sole-surviving brother of the once-popular Fratelli Bonos acting trio (he too passed away in the year 2000). A seasoned specialist at playing stock comedic characters, Bonos herein cameos without saying a word as a grubby old vagabond who has a particularly unpleasant (and fatal) encounter with the man-made monster and a large, heavy car part in an auto graveyard after dark.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsDwIe9dY954gb-7BhyBhNWkTTPKpG_b1IvIkg0Yq8IFyuIqxRwU_-s0nip4oT0A8M71mRcMvwRO45ZuVy6HEuNEFpU2mFYJTm_vt7zPjF3XWEtSMCvW6ScCiii6zxJR9TL4faC6OYaHHynsMjm86hn63KERki9G2zm4r21lSZACiLig40pUmuGSQ/s1920/5.%20Dalila%20Parker.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsDwIe9dY954gb-7BhyBhNWkTTPKpG_b1IvIkg0Yq8IFyuIqxRwU_-s0nip4oT0A8M71mRcMvwRO45ZuVy6HEuNEFpU2mFYJTm_vt7zPjF3XWEtSMCvW6ScCiii6zxJR9TL4faC6OYaHHynsMjm86hn63KERki9G2zm4r21lSZACiLig40pUmuGSQ/w400-h225/5.%20Dalila%20Parker.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Clumsily-executed across the boards and strung-together with only the flimsiest of plotlines – albeit still <i>highly</i> entertaining nevertheless – <b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b> represents usual cinematographer Mancini’s sole endeavour as a director. He was actually a fairly prolific DP on many a low-budget Italian film and, again in 1972, he also worked in that capacity on F.L. Morris’ (a.k.a. Ferdinando Merighi) equally shoddy <i>giallo</i>, <b>THE FRENCH SEX MURDERS</b> (1972); it too features the same economical and garish lighting schemes, which comes as quite the surprise in the case of the present film, since it was shot by no less than Emilio Varriano, one of Mario Bava’s most trusted camera operators (who, two years later, went on to lens Bava’s claustrophobic, nail-bitingly suspenseful crime thriller <b>RABID DOGS</b> [1974]). Talented composer Daniele Patucchi also provides a fun, if wholly appropriate, piano-driven score, but he also reuses a cue from his languid, easy-listening score to Elò Pannaccio’s <b><i>IL SESSO DELLA STREGA</i></b> (1972). Following a drawn-out peeler act at a stripclub, bits of Patucchi’s score for Carlo Croccolo’s low-end Klaus Kinski spaghetti western <b>BLACK KILLER</b> (1971) can also be heard. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcoD1WxFv72RxinKrBtgcESqupjes9TG7jtFu-O2dNc5Ugx01p6Ck6bdm_mcCYsMl_k8T2fWVZr1o1ucj0XO1OxoQMeLr28rz3qFuCDulIoH5meTBiygrClO66oSQq63a5yvgv2C15f1ZwUrWzfFzGwpcSLiN0Q0KZstlMYmW01e0hdS8wyhNO5bf/s1920/6.%20F80%20on%20the%20prowl.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcoD1WxFv72RxinKrBtgcESqupjes9TG7jtFu-O2dNc5Ugx01p6Ck6bdm_mcCYsMl_k8T2fWVZr1o1ucj0XO1OxoQMeLr28rz3qFuCDulIoH5meTBiygrClO66oSQq63a5yvgv2C15f1ZwUrWzfFzGwpcSLiN0Q0KZstlMYmW01e0hdS8wyhNO5bf/w400-h225/6.%20F80%20on%20the%20prowl.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Making its HD debut in 2017 via Germany’s Region B Blu-ray/DVD Mediabook courtesy of ’84 Entertainment, this nicely-packaged edition began with a disclaimer about their somewhat compromised HD transfer, which specified that “short scenes were no longer available on 35mm film and had to be inserted from an inferior source”, in this case a grainy VHS videocassette. Apart from these thankfully-only-brief inserted scenes (including longer-lingering extra bits of nudity and gore), which jar quite noticeably with the bulk of the film’s transfer print proper, ’84 Entertainment’s Blu-ray was definitely worth the upgrade, and miles better than any other version on the market, especially to anyone familiar with Gorgon’s long-out-of-print and badly pan-and-scanned fullscreen VHS tape. This is also the first time (at least to English-language viewers) that the film had been made available in its original widescreen aspect ratio, which made for a far-less-confining and claustrophobically constricting viewing experience all round.<span style="color: red;"> </span>The LPCM 2.0 audio was also available in both German and English language options, although the English track featured some audible hiss, but overall sounded just fine in light of the film’s obvious relatively primitive technical attributes.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbiR-Htc-Ux1_47B_X_Uqtnad930JfzSz5aQQr5yoJPLfYIuVEoSxWVGv5-D6zScz6ayHZqEMtCNgDBmMqNWNHAfvZxVNCII3uqwswKUgb703DCzuZfQltmeYgGlXx1cIBgR_t7okGufP22e54FJ_Jdm_rsw7e_ZZKDEqnJzvL9omuEcaEBE48vAf/s1920/7.%20The%20inspector.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbiR-Htc-Ux1_47B_X_Uqtnad930JfzSz5aQQr5yoJPLfYIuVEoSxWVGv5-D6zScz6ayHZqEMtCNgDBmMqNWNHAfvZxVNCII3uqwswKUgb703DCzuZfQltmeYgGlXx1cIBgR_t7okGufP22e54FJ_Jdm_rsw7e_ZZKDEqnJzvL9omuEcaEBE48vAf/w400-h225/7.%20The%20inspector.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras included a fairly beat-up, but most-welcome original trailer, with some brief German narration; alternate opening credits from the U.S. and German (as <b>MIDNIGHT HORROR</b>) VHS versions (3m30s); a brief gallery (1m07s) of the entire set of Italian <i>fotobuste</i>; plus ‘lost film scenes’, which were all the extra inserted scenes, including surrounding context (3m55s). Apart from one extra brief artwork gallery (57s) of video and promotional art present only on the DVD, both discs included the same transfer and extras. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jnu9CmtBzi57K1jKAWboWQwYw4fm8u7pLLk7Vh5BhmELL5w_7uQj0XIYgGkjm_l7vs3ueWyVrMbbabhLX3ldI-if0eSbqGdjiy6wlL1Gv1aolu7ERp17r1tqDQ5EUXhGJAS4lLPMLbWeUkCqt7NGsPzOMtsRns77v2gdkhlmxU9C_GFEL2Wna67N/s1920/8.%20WTF%3F.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jnu9CmtBzi57K1jKAWboWQwYw4fm8u7pLLk7Vh5BhmELL5w_7uQj0XIYgGkjm_l7vs3ueWyVrMbbabhLX3ldI-if0eSbqGdjiy6wlL1Gv1aolu7ERp17r1tqDQ5EUXhGJAS4lLPMLbWeUkCqt7NGsPzOMtsRns77v2gdkhlmxU9C_GFEL2Wna67N/w400-h225/8.%20WTF%3F.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Earlier this year, Cauldron Films finally released the film’s first official — and only true uncut presentation — on Blu-ray, which was scanned in 2K from “the original camera negative in Rome, Italy by Variety Films.” Detail on the Blu is first-rate, and will serve as a real revelation to anyone only familiar with Gorgon’s VHS tape (“He had a bone to pick…”) or Cheezy Flicks VHS-sourced DVD. Many of the film’s previously problematic day-for-night scenes come through just fine here, and the robust colours help better accentuate all the glistening viscera and stage blood on display. The disc also includes a pair of DTS-HD master audio 2.0 mono tracks in English and Italian (with properly translated English subtitles), which sound very good with no discernible issues whatsoever. Incidentally, the Italian audio track differs ever so slightly, so keen viewers may want to give both a listen. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCRTwndoe8507zz0OwI05-LeXCyg_lpiBC4Btb24RjcnR_lb3gdnjYqcxo7uLemoL48MFZy-dN1h8KLZjsZS3yusZLx4_InFMu97MRQj_uJXXIRJ2SvUYG-0Idd3UXmE1HHxa2I1ulI_FsgZZU1wa716kdpClP4lbNkWvr_WHbR0QDEnqAZR79K0D/s1920/9.%20F80%20gets%20angry.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCRTwndoe8507zz0OwI05-LeXCyg_lpiBC4Btb24RjcnR_lb3gdnjYqcxo7uLemoL48MFZy-dN1h8KLZjsZS3yusZLx4_InFMu97MRQj_uJXXIRJ2SvUYG-0Idd3UXmE1HHxa2I1ulI_FsgZZU1wa716kdpClP4lbNkWvr_WHbR0QDEnqAZR79K0D/w400-h225/9.%20F80%20gets%20angry.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras on Cauldron’s disc begin with an audio commentary from film historian Heather Drain who discusses the film’s “pretzel logic”, and plenty of background on the film along with several much-welcome digressions; the simplistic but effective F/X work of Carlo Rambaldi, Mario Mancini’s long career as a camera operator, the many “spiritual heirs” to <b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b>, and her love of Italian horror films in general. It’s an easy-going, fact-filled listen, which compliments this schlocky film perfectly. In <b>Dalila Forever </b>(27m46s), Andrea Meroni and Eugenio Ercolani provide a terrific career-spanning audio interview with Dalila Di Lazzaro (an on-camera interview was not possible due to health reasons) wherein she discusses her early inspirations, her stern upbringing, her time working in Rome and many of her first roles including Luigi Comencini’s <b><i>LO SCOPONE SCIENTIFICO</i></b> (1972) alongside Alberto Sordi, Joseph Cotton, and Bette Davis, Paul Morrissey’s <b>FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN</b> (1973), and of course, <b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b>. In <b>Little Frankensteins</b> (38m20s), film historian Domenico Monetti discusses Frankenstein within Italian cinema, and how the “true nature” of Mary Shelley’s work was changed “Italian-style”, covering such films as Tulio Demicheli’s <b>ASSIGNMENT TERROR</b> (1970), Robert H. Oliver’s <b>FRANKENSTEIN’S CASTLE OF FREAKS</b> (1974), the aforementioned Paul Morrissey film, <b>FRANKENSTEIN ’80</b> of course, and even Aristide Massaccesi’s late-entry poverty-row stinker <b>FRANKENSTEIN 2000</b> (a.k.a., <i>RETURN FROM DEATH</i>, 1992).</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although already sold out, the <a href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/cauldron-films/products/frankenstein-80-limited-blu-ray-w-slipcase-pre-order" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">limited Blu-ray with slipcase</span></a> also included a 23-page booklet on <b>The Art of Frankenstein ’80</b>, which featured poster art, <i>fotobuste</i>, and other miscellaneous stills supplied by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cinemaarcana" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cinema Arcana</span></a>’s Bruce Holecheck, a double-sided fold-out poster featuring the work of Justin Coffee (he also supplied the disc’s beautiful cover art) and “Putrid” Matt Carr, and a nice collectible slipcase for those that care about such collectible ephemera. Order the standard release <a href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/cauldron-films/products/frankenstein-80-standard-edition-blu-ray" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cauldron Films</span></a> or <a href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/frankenstein-80-retail-cauldron-films-blu-ray-all-region/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-35905075588049184892023-01-02T01:31:00.003-05:002023-01-02T01:40:18.800-05:00UNPOPPED CINEMA'S TOP 25 BEST DISCS OF 2022<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtOmf2MyTbePETx7Xg0jgt0Si6L4l8TItF9AUQRO8aYKs7fzAApjOOPWfIFZ5p1b3MCNcEORdxlyFlu66ZS0t6qoKxbZYX9ZcBzWmZ6q1mfqy3KGx4pczk5QKSazWVwdK9JLDfwXQUrocvAYvXBvpVihLyNnmrhI4u9I-8oQkTMRWGVGxwZ8p-tpE/s1581/Top%2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1581" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtOmf2MyTbePETx7Xg0jgt0Si6L4l8TItF9AUQRO8aYKs7fzAApjOOPWfIFZ5p1b3MCNcEORdxlyFlu66ZS0t6qoKxbZYX9ZcBzWmZ6q1mfqy3KGx4pczk5QKSazWVwdK9JLDfwXQUrocvAYvXBvpVihLyNnmrhI4u9I-8oQkTMRWGVGxwZ8p-tpE/w400-h383/Top%2025.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It’s that time of year again, and sure enough, it’s the boutique labels that need a serious round of applause for their dedication and hard-work, releasing several heretofore ignored, unseen and/or highly-requested films onto disc. Although it must be said that as much as I enjoy putting these lists together, it’s becoming more and more difficult to compile a thorough list without leaving something off, which may confound, frustrate or even anger some voracious film fan out there as they contemplate my choices. But that’s half the fun isn’t it? So, without further delay, let’s take a look at some of my favourites.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">ALLIGATOR </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1980] (Scream Factory) – Seamlessly blending tongue-in-cheek dialogue and gruesome horror, this is one of the very best ‘animal attack’ films, which finally made its long-belated UHD/Blu-ray debut with this stunning 3-disc special edition. Interviews with director Lewis Teague, writer John Sayles, and even Bryan Cranston (he served as one of the film’s many production assistants) are just a few of the excellent bonus features on this stellar release, which was definitely worth the wait. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3rCRTpwWy6rFPdyUoSGqGlY5Uzwmw-mT6VwZFNSYu9SQHfMJVt43qkBCVWRKP6okMajOMGTaidJYCHkx6em6yZp6KrNQ-HjU1LvlfVrcuFuxXC6SAHK_vzRajra5G6ss_ye_RlaG8b0RzHM-wqmNnr_V0AgHghpjjieFgPdx656JLHIrem6Rp5HC/s1920/Blood%20and%20Diamonds.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3rCRTpwWy6rFPdyUoSGqGlY5Uzwmw-mT6VwZFNSYu9SQHfMJVt43qkBCVWRKP6okMajOMGTaidJYCHkx6em6yZp6KrNQ-HjU1LvlfVrcuFuxXC6SAHK_vzRajra5G6ss_ye_RlaG8b0RzHM-wqmNnr_V0AgHghpjjieFgPdx656JLHIrem6Rp5HC/w400-h225/Blood%20and%20Diamonds.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">BLOOD AND DIAMONDS </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1977] (88 Films) – It was a great year for fans of director Fernando Di Leo, which saw quality HD releases of <b>NICK THE STING </b>(1976), <b>THE VIOLENT BREED</b> (1984), and this, his last great Italocrime film, a tough-as-nails tale of betrayal and revenge starring Claudio Cassinelli, Martin Balsam and Barbara Bouchet. This beautiful 4K restoration, which also included Italian and English language options, looked fantastic, and also came fully-stacked with extras beginning with a comprehensive and highly-entertaining audio commentary from author and film historian Troy Howarth and </span><a href="http://mondo-digital.com/#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>'s Nathaniel Thompson, a feature-length documentary on Di Leo, on-camera interviews and more! Slick packaging and a superb booklet with writing from Francesco Massaccesi, Andrew Graves and Rachael Nisbet was also included. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">BLOOD DELIRIUM </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1988] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Here’s an unexpectedly demented late-entry Italo horror from director Sergio Bergonzelli (best known for directing the equally outrageous giallo, <b style="font-weight: bold;">IN THE FOLDS OF THE FLESH</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>[1970]), an entertaining take on Herschell Gordon Lewis’ <b>COLOR ME BLOOD RED </b>(1965), which also jumbles together trace elements from ’60s Italian gothics alongside a whole heap of gore and perversions. John Philip Law, Euro vet Gordon Mitchell, Brigitte Christensen and porn starlet Olinka Hardiman star in this unforgettable film, which not only made its worldwide Blu-ray debut, but also featured the long-sought after uncut version! This is a trashy, must-have jewel in the vast Vinegar Syndrome catalogue.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBU24VbdO5iv3fGn6oPxmakaXLMYt4AbnyhMKil4ae233mgv3BKFg1raFeGGdEge3dKUvlvg3JyrrIAYvCrYaKRUZie2hmFEthcBP78uHGuJOsILfHEq6Y5HnwXWotro-FR169eCKLasqt8_HJ4G1IQDlTZpTlJOfBLTIKPcViKfMSMeyrByjknzXr/s1920/Red%20Spell%20Spells%20Red.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBU24VbdO5iv3fGn6oPxmakaXLMYt4AbnyhMKil4ae233mgv3BKFg1raFeGGdEge3dKUvlvg3JyrrIAYvCrYaKRUZie2hmFEthcBP78uHGuJOsILfHEq6Y5HnwXWotro-FR169eCKLasqt8_HJ4G1IQDlTZpTlJOfBLTIKPcViKfMSMeyrByjknzXr/w400-h225/Red%20Spell%20Spells%20Red.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">CENTIPEDE HORROR & RED SPELL SPELLS RED</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1983] (Error_4444) – Punctuated by several gross out moments, these insane Hong Kong films have definitely earned a place in the cinematic horror canon, and these new 2K restorations of the uncut versions are massive improvements in every way. Extras aren’t extensive, but include excellent booklets with writing from the late Travis Crawford, trailers, and “animal cruelty-free” versions for those that can’t stomach such nastiness.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTB1N8S3devdbuTEYiIPn6lxQz1PAwh6dVWkexRmv5oou72qsgkmOw6CtdKqbgG7uP8IUappV6RsDS9b9u2W-aL9SxehvYyEu7xlDmYzkuRzs2S7YwGVMQQNkfiyZWr6Z7szzR71Q64SdKG74wPYxsnTNONqkhceM8C3dirhZIJcbyYogkNm1dlEbY/s1920/Fabio%20Testi.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTB1N8S3devdbuTEYiIPn6lxQz1PAwh6dVWkexRmv5oou72qsgkmOw6CtdKqbgG7uP8IUappV6RsDS9b9u2W-aL9SxehvYyEu7xlDmYzkuRzs2S7YwGVMQQNkfiyZWr6Z7szzR71Q64SdKG74wPYxsnTNONqkhceM8C3dirhZIJcbyYogkNm1dlEbY/w400-h225/Fabio%20Testi.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">CONTRABAND </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b>[1980] </b>(Cauldron Films) – Lucio Fulci’s Eurocrime splatter classic has been a victim of shoddy transfers for far too long, which made Cauldron’s new disc all the more appealing. This worldwide Blu-ray debut was a real sight for sore eyes, which featured a new superlative “4K scan of the negative” that put all previous releases to shame. Plus, it was loaded with tons of extra features including a great audio commentary from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cinemaarcana" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cinema Arcana</span></a>’s Bruce Holecheck, Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, as well as several on-camera interviews with much of the cast and crew courtesy of Eugenio Ercolani. And for those that snagged the limited edition, the entire Fabio Frizzi score was also included on a separate CD. Highly recommended! <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/06/contraband-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DEATH GAME</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1977] (Grindhouse Releasing) – A casualty of several inferior home video releases on both VHS and DVD, Peter S. Traynor’s feverish and darkly perverse home invasion film finally got its due with this staggering 2-disc set. Thanks to Grindhouse Releasing’s usual high standards, this new transfer was a real stunner, which reinstates David Worth’s scope photography with a sharpness and depth of field unseen in any previous release. Of course, GR also provided an abundance of special features, which will keep you entertained for hours, in what is easily one of the best home video releases of the year!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DORIS WISHMAN: THE TWILIGHT YEARS / THE MOONLIGHT YEARS / THE DAYLIGHT YEARS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1960 – 1977] (AGFA / Something Weird Video) – Even though these are three individual releases, it’s kind of difficult to separate them; besides, the nifty magnetic packaging allows them to nicely attach together. Spread out over 9 discs (!), these sets showcase a total of 22 films from different key eras of Wishman’s lengthy career, and are bursting with extra features including audio commentaries, trailers, and plenty more! These are fantastic sets, and a real delight for fans and newcomers alike. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DR. LAMB </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1992] (Unearthed Films) – Boldly stylistic yet brutally violent, this Cat III Hong Kong shocker is a real mixed bag, adding plenty of perversity and even a dash of oddly-placed comedy, all of which is held together by Simon Yam’s intense central performance as the psychotic serial killer. Much like Herman Yau’s <b>THE UNTOLD STORY </b>(1993) and <b>THE EBOLA SYNDROME</b> (1996), a pair of equally disturbing Cat III films released last year, this is another major cinematic recovery, which is nicely supplemented with several extras including an audio commentary with Bruce Holecheck and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/uvmagazine" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Ultra Violent</span></a>’s Art Ettinger. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVtrSkphSPbmgqjcMd99gXDsV9wzXg7jItMiEfEO4eL0EG8W1yJCg7uLhG3LkWAIM2ZkpLFmywS-LACTIvHCfMCdBxBQ0XW5KZ5bPyi33iRpOZBOFfmB42NmW-OoBirjygT4m4gtyve9NY1smSXKA437eXFZleTcTN6mf7lhyk-tqCTtRuNy5EKAz/s1920/Draguse.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVtrSkphSPbmgqjcMd99gXDsV9wzXg7jItMiEfEO4eL0EG8W1yJCg7uLhG3LkWAIM2ZkpLFmywS-LACTIvHCfMCdBxBQ0XW5KZ5bPyi33iRpOZBOFfmB42NmW-OoBirjygT4m4gtyve9NY1smSXKA437eXFZleTcTN6mf7lhyk-tqCTtRuNy5EKAz/w400-h225/Draguse.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">DRAGUSE / LE BIJOU D’AMOUR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1976 / 1978] (Vinegar Syndrome / Peekarama) – Straddling the line between the highly individualistic films of Jean Rollin and the crass budget-conscious works of Eurociné, this double feature from French director Patrice Rhomm showcased a pair of forgotten, horror-tinged sex oddities, which were a real surprise, even to the most jaded of Eurotrash enthusiasts. Beautiful uncut transfers and some nice extras only sweetened the package. <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/04/draguse-le-bijou-damour-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDdeO0oz0PHLHU0nnMFKjqPWBupGFZrs849J7C3u03vUgD8H3pDkQk_8FybU3SPD20JcwvkytGbZ9baOYmWDUVSMfCAsIHiAWev_KliFKkL1rNHnrc-Sf8UL8Sy4RhJGFZS6i44-Cw2LLxQ3o11YIJTaMkMRvUhc4wn34LRd5oVLteg9gDzwJ3cbt/s1920/Berger%20the%20mad%20doctor.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDdeO0oz0PHLHU0nnMFKjqPWBupGFZrs849J7C3u03vUgD8H3pDkQk_8FybU3SPD20JcwvkytGbZ9baOYmWDUVSMfCAsIHiAWev_KliFKkL1rNHnrc-Sf8UL8Sy4RhJGFZS6i44-Cw2LLxQ3o11YIJTaMkMRvUhc4wn34LRd5oVLteg9gDzwJ3cbt/w400-h225/Berger%20the%20mad%20doctor.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">FACELESS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1988] (Severin Films) – An irresistible and colourfully outrageous Eurohorror, this is a Jess Franco film for those that hate Jess Franco films! It’s slick, gory and highly entertaining, and Severin Films have finally given this film its due with this gorgeous UHD/BD combo, which included a picture-perfect 4K transfer and a host of amazing extra features! <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/06/faceless-uhd-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read review</span></a>. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1971] (Severin Films) – Given the amount of outstanding titles Severin had already released throughout 2022, they performed a small miracle when they announced this much-sought-after, definitive edition of Dario Argento’s stunning <i>giallo</i>. Among the consistently engaging special features on this stunning 4-disc (!) UHD/BD combo are an audio commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, a glut of interviews with just about every living participant involved with the film, as well as <u><a href="https://www.fabpress.com/books/dario-argento-hardback.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Profondo Argento</span></a></u> author and film critic Alan Jones, and as an added bonus, Ennio Morricone’s entire score on a separate CD! This is a truly impressive, meticulously assembled package, and possibly of the most important home video releases of the year!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">GOTHIC FANTASTICO: FOUR ITALIAN TALES OF TERROR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1963 – 1966] (Arrow Video) – Made during the Golden Age of Italian Horror, this collection of beautifully curated black-and-white gothics easily ranks as one of the best Arrow releases of the year, which included impeccable 2K restorations of Massimo Pupillo’s <b>LADY MORGAN’S VENGEANCE</b> (1965), Mino Guerrini’s <b>THE THIRD EYE</b> (1966), Alberto De Martino’s <b>THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER</b> (1965) and Damiano Damiani’s <b>THE WITCH</b> (1966). The preceding two films also made their worldwide English-friendly Blu-ray debuts, with Arrow even unearthing <b>THE THIRD EYE</b>’s never-before-released English audio track! As expected, this lavishly-packaged box set also included a host of outstanding extra features from several authors and film historians, which included Mark Thompson Ashworth, Miranda Corcoran, Kat Ellinger, Alexandra Heller-Nicolas, Rachel Nisbet, and several others. And for those that splurged on the limited edition set, a handsome 75-page booklet is also included with writing from Rod Barnett, Roberto Curti, Kimberly Lindbergs, Jerome Reuter, and Rob Talbot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6meyLQV4QQJQgzzv4ZlybyDYlv3ecWFpQ4slxKmfQu3yw689adeXmtpU258HI_cUNHSw_2WXQJPmOQxmn87h8SAWBtRvmm_PNl_4yvxy7lqLt9mYwWqe9jwloCeyTUQdOO1ocE4T4el5X6uE0Bk_vBhTEZxfhhA0icS238PoLMVVywUnfpJJuyrC/s1920/The%20Head.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6meyLQV4QQJQgzzv4ZlybyDYlv3ecWFpQ4slxKmfQu3yw689adeXmtpU258HI_cUNHSw_2WXQJPmOQxmn87h8SAWBtRvmm_PNl_4yvxy7lqLt9mYwWqe9jwloCeyTUQdOO1ocE4T4el5X6uE0Bk_vBhTEZxfhhA0icS238PoLMVVywUnfpJJuyrC/w400-h225/The%20Head.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE HEAD </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1959] (Anolis Entertainment) – Finally separated from the public domain ghetto, this is one of the more uniquely bizarre West German films you’ll likely to encounter. Victor Trivas’ film never ceases to entertain with its trashy scenario, interesting visual touches, and Horst Frank’s key role as the obsessive doctor. This “weltpremiere in HD qualitat” looks and sounds fantastic, and includes both the German and English versions, and for English-speaking viewers, <a href="https://videowatchdogblog.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Video Watchdog</span></a>’s Tim Lucas provides another one of his highly-detailed audio commentaries, which sheds plenty of light on this extraordinary Eurohorror.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qA6tYrENzxAjrLTBFHHjvY-Hek4OWq-2ukm-Ywq7aJTite8Fg5qQBE1i1lnQnU-TRRghdrnY4cWmqfU9sbUZ1i8OMZ6N6TSoo3ZOWdxyY_NGFXIkVc-YTv0Z-qESB9vmZKhXavhfDz7fZTe-TwYbYFv485ehRbdtgZlk3pZOErNzniqEe0iGFsee/s1920/Identikit.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qA6tYrENzxAjrLTBFHHjvY-Hek4OWq-2ukm-Ywq7aJTite8Fg5qQBE1i1lnQnU-TRRghdrnY4cWmqfU9sbUZ1i8OMZ6N6TSoo3ZOWdxyY_NGFXIkVc-YTv0Z-qESB9vmZKhXavhfDz7fZTe-TwYbYFv485ehRbdtgZlk3pZOErNzniqEe0iGFsee/w400-h225/Identikit.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">HOUSE OF PSYCHOTIC WOMEN: THE RARETIES COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1972 – 1986] (Severin Films) – Released in conjunction with Kier-La Janisse’s updated, must-have book <u><a href="https://www.fabpress.com/hopw-expanded-edition-hardcover.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">House of Psychotic Women</span></a></u><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">, this stunningly curated collection featured a quartet of visually and emotionally unforgettable films, which, like her book explore “visions of female madness.” Giuseppe Patroni Griffi’s</span> IDENTIKIT</span><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(a.k.a.<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE DRIVER’S</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> SEAT</b>, 1974) with Elizabeth Taylor, Grzegorz Warchol’s<b style="font-weight: bold;"> I LIKE BATS</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(1986), Luigi Bazzoni’s incredible <b>FOOTPRINTS </b>(a.k.a.<b style="font-weight: bold;"> PRIMAL IMPULSE</b>, 1975) and Jane Arden’s wholly unique<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNDERNEATH</b><b> </b>(1972) are all accompanied by several revealing special features. This was one of the most rewarding surprises of the year!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE FILMS OF RAY DENNIS STECKLER</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1962 – 2008] (Severin Films) – Following their extraordinary Al Adamson and Andy Milligan collections, Severin stunned just about everyone with the release of this colossal 10-disc, 20-film (!) magnum opus, which comprises everything from <b>WILD GUITAR</b> (1962) up until his zero-budget, swan song <b>ONE MORE TIME</b> (2008), even including many of his… um, colourfully-titled porno films. Packed with a wealth of bonus features and an outstanding 100-page book with writing from Zach Carlson and Charles Devlin, this tremendous box set presented the perfect opportunity to discover, or possibly reacquaint yourself with this very unusual cult filmmaker in great detail. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">LIBIDO</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1965] (Severin Films) – Never released in the English-speaking market, this cornerstone <i>giallo</i> from directors Ernesto Gastaldi (who went on to become one the most prolific scriptwriters of Italian gialli) and Vittorio Salerno was yet another worldwide Blu-ray debut. Beautifully shot by Romolo Garroni in moody black-and-white, and featuring all the usual <i>gialli </i>tropes, Severin’s disc was a real knockout, which not only featured several worthwhile extras (including a sharp and astute audio commentary from <a href="https://diaboliquemagazine.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Diabolique</span></a>'s Kat Ellinger that focused primarily on Gastaldi’s career and influence), but also the film’s unreleased English audio track! This should be at the top of every <i>giallo</i> lover’s list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">LOVE BRIDES OF THE BLOOD MUMMY</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1973] (Mondo Macabro) – Arriving a couple of months within each other via MM’s spectacular BD and Le Chat qui Fume’s equally gorgeous UHD/BD combo, this once exceedingly rare Spanish/French co-production arrived on official home video in fine style, indeed. Featuring a new 4K restoration of the uncut version, both discs included a wealth of alternate scenes and the French and English trailers, but the MM disc bettered the UHD with additional special features including an audio commentary with David Flint, a rare 8mm version from the UK, alternate credit sequences and a very welcome still and poster gallery. The now OOP ‘Red Case’ edition of the film also included a terrific liner notes booklet on the mystery of director ‘Ken Ruder’ as well as 5 double-sided postcards that reproduced the Spanish lobbycards. Highly recommended!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYzsGZ9ekTafY0m9jqGAyWqIyqacu-D2-Wf4cKcNEEV7YtWvZ43DdfjyhSeU_DmByCB44cBGC-_e7G3FhUV7WV6XmWK21acmeXcDXjuS0qjcg5ylZYSHpTWaw5GC8-SC-brjjI5oGOMgFmFrSc0OjvQX_NWSGTOESfwi13eemR7HH1mbHbzmmiOEc/s850/Moon%20of%20the%20Wolf.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="850" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYzsGZ9ekTafY0m9jqGAyWqIyqacu-D2-Wf4cKcNEEV7YtWvZ43DdfjyhSeU_DmByCB44cBGC-_e7G3FhUV7WV6XmWK21acmeXcDXjuS0qjcg5ylZYSHpTWaw5GC8-SC-brjjI5oGOMgFmFrSc0OjvQX_NWSGTOESfwi13eemR7HH1mbHbzmmiOEc/w400-h299/Moon%20of%20the%20Wolf.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">MOON OF THE WOLF</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1972] (Vinegar Syndrome Archive) – A public domain mainstay for years, this tight, well-paced TV movie from director Daniel Petrie has been restored at long last. Featuring plenty of great atmosphere and suspense, this new 2K scan was a vast improvement in every way, but the disc also included a well-informed audio commentary from TV movie expert and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-House-Alone-Compendium/dp/1909394440/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EMR58YWGJO36&keywords=are+you+in+the+house+alone+book&qid=1672639039&sprefix=are+you+in+the+house+alone+book%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Are You in the House Alone?</span></a> author Amanda Reyes, and author and film historian Daniel R. Budnik. Further enlivened by a terrific cast including David Janssen, Barbara Rush, Bradford Dillman, Geoffrey Lewis and Royal Dano, this comes highly recommended!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">NATURAL ENEMIES</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1979] (Fun City Editions) – Oftentimes as unpleasant as it is thoroughly engaging, Hal Holbrook stars as Paul Steward, a successful magazine publisher who intends to kill his entire family and himself by the end of the day. Based on a novel by Julius Horwitz, writer and director Jeff Kanew is the real star here, handling the tricky material with a mature sincerity in this disquieting immersion into depression and loneliness. Long out of circulation, Fun City’s new 2K restoration came from “the best-surviving element”, which wasn’t perfect, but still looked infinitely better than the old VHS tapes. A very welcome – and highly-detailed - audio commentary from Bill Ackerman of the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/supporting-characters/id1092702104" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Supporting Characters</span></a> podcast was the real standout among the bonus features, which also included a two-part video interview with the director, an alternate ending, and the film’s trailer. A superb release in every way, <b>NATURAL ENEMIES</b> is a haunting and unforgettable experience. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OSNJzy6QcY7ZEYbpPyzkvwkRl2G_vf1LGPzJ7wSd-tOpvOFIgubRU9pyInsqxoFpcdYV76tXNFoAXb90hQErwWUGufvw3nFJ7UfxQDTc1UNqkO8FBLVgHmy47EUYy_Q-hwffMNVsekJAiP2A0nCeZ7YSRAyi-B-SaXuqQkTISWmaLcGcdC0oXQ2O/s1920/The%20Other%20Side%20of%20the%20Mirror.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OSNJzy6QcY7ZEYbpPyzkvwkRl2G_vf1LGPzJ7wSd-tOpvOFIgubRU9pyInsqxoFpcdYV76tXNFoAXb90hQErwWUGufvw3nFJ7UfxQDTc1UNqkO8FBLVgHmy47EUYy_Q-hwffMNVsekJAiP2A0nCeZ7YSRAyi-B-SaXuqQkTISWmaLcGcdC0oXQ2O/w400-h225/The%20Other%20Side%20of%20the%20Mirror.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1974] (Mondo Macabro) – Dreamlike and compellingly structured, this easily ranks as one of Jess Franco’s very best films, which was finally given the proper release it so richly deserves, and it’s a beautiful restoration to boot. Outside of the new 4K transfer of the original, full-length Spanish version, MM have provided several exemplary bonus features, which included a comprehensive audio commentary from <a href="https://robertmonell.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">I’m in a Jess Franco State of Mind</span></a>’s Robert Monell and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naschycast/id360865942" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Naschycast</span></a>’s Rod Barnett, an almost hour-long on-camera interview with Franco expert Stephen Thrower, and more! The now OOP ‘red case’ edition also includes a 20-page booklet with writing from Francisco Cesari and Roberto Curti. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk5T000L29qCloiuoaBB2eJFSVlahC0l9hSOCGGynFj8hRnBiR63damLJfmbN6eMY0Ddl0sEmSjTMqIqCw53Wjs87e-MERKexlIt6nfhZIHdueDRTjCT1aDFg3Y-S0t9eovhdgcb1Qg5UJghPsOCYVQ9jmUHe-AMaa1s0dnPtPifYDN99P7LSQTC8/s1920/The%20Seventh%20Curse.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk5T000L29qCloiuoaBB2eJFSVlahC0l9hSOCGGynFj8hRnBiR63damLJfmbN6eMY0Ddl0sEmSjTMqIqCw53Wjs87e-MERKexlIt6nfhZIHdueDRTjCT1aDFg3Y-S0t9eovhdgcb1Qg5UJghPsOCYVQ9jmUHe-AMaa1s0dnPtPifYDN99P7LSQTC8/w400-h225/The%20Seventh%20Curse.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE SEVENTH CURSE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1986] (88 Films) – Blending intense action, black magic, great monsters, and lots of over-the-top gore, this is a Hong Kong film like no other! Gloriously trashy from start to finish, 88 Films spared no expense bringing this insanity to Blu-ray, which included two versions of the film (both 2K restorations), an 80-page book, posters, and tons more besides! A beautiful, must-have set that is not to be missed!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">SHAWSCOPE VOLUME 2</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1978 – 1993] (Arrow Video) – Focusing on the studio giant’s late-’70s and ’80s output, this sophomore effort collected together 14 newly restored films including everything from such classics as Lau Kar-leung’s <b>THE 36<sup>TH </sup>CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN</b> (a.k.a. <b>MASTER KILLER</b>, 1978) and Chang Cheh’s <b>TEN TIGERS OF KWANGTUNG</b> (1980) to obscurities like Wong Jing’s action film <b>MERCENARIES FROM HONG KONG</b> (1982) and Kuei Chih-hung’s outrageous horror film <b>THE BOXER’S OMEN</b> (1983)! Overflowing with so many extras (including a couple of soundtrack CDs!) to adequately list here, it may realistically take you a better part of the year to get through them! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1974] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Wildly diverse in tone and sporting one of the all-time great titles in exploitation movie history, Michael and Roberta Findlay’s schizo backyard Bigfoot film is a wonderfully chaotic mess, which has been in dire need of a proper release for decades. This new disc obliterates all of the crummy, compromised home video releases that came before it with a brand-new eye-popping 4K transfer (taken from the film’s OCN, no less!), which is astonishing in its clarity and detail. VS also includes several illuminating bonus features including a superb audio commentary with Roberta Findlay and Casey Scott, on-camera interviews with Findlay and writer/producer Ed Adlum, a cool location tour, and more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1982] (Scream Factory) – At long last, Albert Pyun’s much-requested <b>CONAN THE BARBARIAN</b> (1982) clone made its HD debut this year in a stunning UHD/BD combo, which did wonders with Joseph Mangine’s colourful, atmospheric photography. Outside of this “new 2021 4K scan from the original negative,” Scream also assembled an impressive roster of informative interviews. Co-writer/co-director John Stuckmeyer, actress Kathleen Beller, editor Marshall Harvey, F/X artist Allan Apone, and the late director Albert Pyun were among the participants. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMtejyVMKlU-SsZgj9fl3Tmu_JkafNPmw4KLskaG_SMTuf3sanm0A9It17AArBD_m19gsYsAHxwKZK5cOSoENktK1DngI_WWllgw6m2HNtx8W_7dq66VB8JbsBEpHe-M__kUmny3LAjKJaGxCsGJwOoWsww2MLUORqQW3hQY3vHW2S0DFuR19s5wB/s1920/Tombs%20of%20the%20Blind%20Dead.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMtejyVMKlU-SsZgj9fl3Tmu_JkafNPmw4KLskaG_SMTuf3sanm0A9It17AArBD_m19gsYsAHxwKZK5cOSoENktK1DngI_WWllgw6m2HNtx8W_7dq66VB8JbsBEpHe-M__kUmny3LAjKJaGxCsGJwOoWsww2MLUORqQW3hQY3vHW2S0DFuR19s5wB/w400-h225/Tombs%20of%20the%20Blind%20Dead.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1971] (Synapse Films) – Making its U.S. Blu-ray debut, this memorably atmospheric Spanish horror film introduced the blind Templar Knights, a group of undead ghouls who hunt their prey by sound alone. The story is rudimentary, but the creepy visuals and unsettling sound design are enough alone to elevate this into one of the more haunting zombie films ever made. As per their usual high-standards, Synapse’s 3-disc set looks and sounds fantastic, and is stuffed with a wide variety of special features, which adequately analyze the indelible mark director Amando De Ossorio left on Spanish fantastic cinema. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">And here are the<b> HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS</b></span><span lang="EN-US">, which are also very worthy of your time!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIXGrhJGX_uQO0D-2Futwi_4KbgjVWALD0FawJzWfUy-OjedvPpfr0TY5fu0gmFnVtOCL7vUIdAhRsh_jeMA7KdaCDCPAMQJefC04JKSUOQcuw7o2NUueoffDyD9-4FHCOZ5iDg7PJS0hgyM-2rUdRHE3pHdi6D6qF7VYw-xzQ1EjQjhic96_6xlZ/s1920/MM%20and%20Nathalie%20Delon.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIXGrhJGX_uQO0D-2Futwi_4KbgjVWALD0FawJzWfUy-OjedvPpfr0TY5fu0gmFnVtOCL7vUIdAhRsh_jeMA7KdaCDCPAMQJefC04JKSUOQcuw7o2NUueoffDyD9-4FHCOZ5iDg7PJS0hgyM-2rUdRHE3pHdi6D6qF7VYw-xzQ1EjQjhic96_6xlZ/w400-h225/MM%20and%20Nathalie%20Delon.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">ALL DECEASED… EXCEPT THE DEAD </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">(88 Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> ANTS!</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Kino Lorber), <b>BARFLY </b>(Imprint Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> CALIGULA AND MESSLINA</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films), <b>CALIGULA THE UNTOLD STORY</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Synapse Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE DEVIL’S GAME </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE FIVE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> DAYS</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films), <b>FORGOTTEN GIALLI VOLUME 4</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> FORGOTTEN GIALLI VOLUME 5</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome), <b>GOD TOLD ME TO</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Blue Underground UHD),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> A HAUNTED TURKISH BATHHOUSE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Mondo Macabro), <b>THE HORRIBLE SEXY</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> VAMPIRE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Mondo Macabro),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> I MISS YOU, HUGS AND KISSES</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/09/je-brule-de-partout-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT</span></a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Pulse Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> MOONCHILD</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Visual Vengeance),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> OUT OF THE BLUE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films), <b>PINK FLAMINGOS </b>(Criterion Collection),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SAMSON AND THE 7 MIRACLES OF THE WORLD</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Kino Lorber),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/12/seagulls-fly-low-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">SEAGULLS FLY LOW</span></a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Cineploit Records & Discs),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SHANGHAI JOE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Cauldron Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SHOCK </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SON OF SAMSON</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Kino Lorber), <b>TALES TO KEEP YOU AWAKE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Kino Lorber),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> TENEBRAE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Synapse Films UHD),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> TERROR OUT</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> OF THE SKY</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Kino Lorber),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THRILLER – A CRUEL PICTURE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome UHD),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE WARRIORS </b>(Imprint Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN</b><b> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome UHD).<b> </b></span></span></span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-88111768392716890202022-12-21T09:49:00.000-05:002022-12-21T09:49:02.365-05:00SEAGULLS FLY LOW - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD-w0zgZfOBa9BBcMYAgnY4VJZlWn0kIFlFEpK1zJIiVFXFJIbdnQlpazAYMnTDiIwuUa4JPJVzRLaqNmNTLGQljcNJdB10lMSyjRMXtfMU5N8guOC_fi6nwf6O5K_nNi_5LL7CO4svSL4sSbPp44zS8Yx71OJWtupYRd4Z3qlbfgijorgD4mZLq7/s1920/1.%20Maurizio%20Merli.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD-w0zgZfOBa9BBcMYAgnY4VJZlWn0kIFlFEpK1zJIiVFXFJIbdnQlpazAYMnTDiIwuUa4JPJVzRLaqNmNTLGQljcNJdB10lMSyjRMXtfMU5N8guOC_fi6nwf6O5K_nNi_5LL7CO4svSL4sSbPp44zS8Yx71OJWtupYRd4Z3qlbfgijorgD4mZLq7/w400-h225/1.%20Maurizio%20Merli.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">One of the more elusive entries in Maurizio Merli’s extensive Italocrime filmography, Giorgio Cristallini’s <b>SEAGULLS FLY LOW</b> (1978) unfolds at a decidedly leisurely pace, and has more in common with film noirs than the more traditional vigilante cop shoot-’em-ups Merli usually inhabits. A long-time victim of shoddy VHS releases, Cineploit Records & Discs’ new “worldwide 2K Blu-ray premiere” is yet another first-rate disc in their ever-growing catalogue of Euro Cult releases. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId4gEgMIVHedZDbZ2nNPJi54eCSBp6ckj9pfJK8oDB1dEZmfgBcxKv_MtT387MU1orXbZEPfV_GGBjTHgcqUOJYX23Hw-PHGvm3DvDW1Y3q8IS7BxgpmsZozi4N68aSm_5P8S6nQv5cCr2c3DKMl_E5zteMKwwjsHImngT7EwVMo-Ym_nI0vbbUHd/s1920/2.%20Mel%20Ferrer.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId4gEgMIVHedZDbZ2nNPJi54eCSBp6ckj9pfJK8oDB1dEZmfgBcxKv_MtT387MU1orXbZEPfV_GGBjTHgcqUOJYX23Hw-PHGvm3DvDW1Y3q8IS7BxgpmsZozi4N68aSm_5P8S6nQv5cCr2c3DKMl_E5zteMKwwjsHImngT7EwVMo-Ym_nI0vbbUHd/w400-h225/2.%20Mel%20Ferrer.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Looking disheveled, and sporting a thick handlebar moustache under a mop of matted hair, Merli stars as Jeff Jacobson, a Vietnam deserter who occasionally resorts to murder due to economic circumstance. Often referred to as “The Mechanic”, Jeff arrives in Rome after he is blackmailed to do a “job” for corrupt industrialist Roberto Micheli (Mel Ferrer, in a part originally envisioned for Ray Milland), by killing Mauro Martini, one of his business associates who “wanted to testify before the commission”. Following a long, suspense-filled drive from the airport wherein two of Micheli’s associates (including the always charismatic Franco Garofalo) keep a close eye on him, Jeff fulfills his contract quickly and efficiently, but a sudden ’Nam flashback (cheaply executed through stock footage of war atrocities tinged with a blood-red filter) exposes his vulnerability. Later that day at the airport, his jittery disposition comes to fruition when he is spooked during a routine passport check and flees. He promptly returns to Roberto who begrudgingly helps him create a new identity (he basically cuts his hair and shaves his mustache) and arranges yet another passport for him, this time under the name Albert Morgan.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But then Micheli’s other business partner, Giorgio Calvi (Andrea Esterhazy) becomes increasingly paranoid, and as a protective measure, orders a hit on both Jeff and Micheli. While eluding his killers, Jeff must also try and track down his new passport, which not only leads him to Umparo (Dagmar Lassander), one of of Micheli’s many influential friends, but also Isabelle Michereau (Nathalie Delon), a shopkeeper who agrees to help him… <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5ovWm89YxZH7bccKsXKNzBZVDOby9KXaxKK16qzBQuVyVfDAFmhuLNWX70STyFnJFLMCPDkhc2usvUcaLbKiY3krRZVzYMNHfsebPWoAe_bz0mBNAG3eaNg_Fhw2jpdCTUUmIgQ39BlhPQVM2b-B0LwUaSmHwxjWFvDnH8MfB3ur3qEX3T-QT63K/s1920/3.%20Franco%20Garofalo.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5ovWm89YxZH7bccKsXKNzBZVDOby9KXaxKK16qzBQuVyVfDAFmhuLNWX70STyFnJFLMCPDkhc2usvUcaLbKiY3krRZVzYMNHfsebPWoAe_bz0mBNAG3eaNg_Fhw2jpdCTUUmIgQ39BlhPQVM2b-B0LwUaSmHwxjWFvDnH8MfB3ur3qEX3T-QT63K/w400-h225/3.%20Franco%20Garofalo.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Obviously taking a cue from Jean Pierre Melville’s masterpiece <b><i>LE SAMOURAÏ</i></b> (1967), and even sharing that film’s co-star, much of <b>SEAGULLS FLY LOW</b> mid-section concerns itself with the lead character’s psychological stress and mounting paranoia, with Merli giving a highly credible performance as the nervous hitman; a nice change of pace for the usually typecast actor. The rest of the cast also give fine performances including the always gorgeous Nathalie Delon, but as predicted in this quickie, name-brand co-stars Mel Ferrer (who at least dubs his own voice on English prints) and Eurotrash sex kitten Dagmar Lassander are rationed out rather frugally. As the self-proclaimed real brains behind the operation, the former hides behind the trappings of respectability, but makes no moral distinctions when it comes to his interests, especially in this world that seems to be constantly moving in cagey circles. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5vvUWYXmelzcLWjrVR2YDLHhZVBeq5Mhily-uDBOpM547PJqSxG6wRfQu-OYG4Ql9U_fbAMYVZDSXysTcampUNb1nq2j2hlR5cSurmQCCSBRP0712UAUQ6obtp_3LUoIQ3auDubU88kK6vEUl0-r-lJ66ltW-QBqNQs_N0zx-GCimRpWb1pgHR6G/s1920/4.%20Dagmar%20Lassander.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5vvUWYXmelzcLWjrVR2YDLHhZVBeq5Mhily-uDBOpM547PJqSxG6wRfQu-OYG4Ql9U_fbAMYVZDSXysTcampUNb1nq2j2hlR5cSurmQCCSBRP0712UAUQ6obtp_3LUoIQ3auDubU88kK6vEUl0-r-lJ66ltW-QBqNQs_N0zx-GCimRpWb1pgHR6G/w400-h225/4.%20Dagmar%20Lassander.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Overall, everything is handled convincingly enough, but it does spend a little too much time on Merli’s and Delon’s burgeoning romance. At one point, our smitten couple observe the title scavenging shithawks (“They’re always looking for something more to eat, and this sea of <i>garbage</i> is their only happiness”), which is subsequently followed by one of the film’s low points: a bout of tender lovemaking in a cheap motel, which is mercifully short and hilariously intercut alongside Isabelle’s panting dog! Shrewder pacing would have been a plus, but the film’s gritty tone aptly conveys the dog-eat-dog existence of the criminal world, adding plenty of authenticity.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK332q_PYhV9SFdodx4KlwprLyIbarddaiRFzyncKxudC_mdHUL_yuWOGi6haKWJWjt3gI4O6GKZC5r42b9qgBMYUxeUe9xnJgwWLrZWVAqdU4DvMHmfCXqsJICAiBtG_t-fghyLRey5ahdXZvyjfU7DlD8p9z-aCIwMPHwWZLMAtVKh6hb-cMy27o/s1920/5.%20Maurizio%20Merli.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK332q_PYhV9SFdodx4KlwprLyIbarddaiRFzyncKxudC_mdHUL_yuWOGi6haKWJWjt3gI4O6GKZC5r42b9qgBMYUxeUe9xnJgwWLrZWVAqdU4DvMHmfCXqsJICAiBtG_t-fghyLRey5ahdXZvyjfU7DlD8p9z-aCIwMPHwWZLMAtVKh6hb-cMy27o/w400-h225/5.%20Maurizio%20Merli.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A real obscurity, <b>SEAGULLS FLY LOW<i> </i></b>did appear on Italian and German VHS videocassettes in the eighties but for English speaking viewers, the Greek videotape from Video Alsen was the only worthwhile edition, that is, if you could find it. Like most Greek tapes, it was annoyingly cropped and the picture quality was average at best, but it was in English, and that was all that really mattered. Never issued on DVD, Cineploit’s new Region B Blu-ray is a very welcome release of this once-difficult-to-see film, which looks fantastic. Film textures look authentic with lots of shadowy detail, realistic colours and some nice depth, although a few interior scenes appear a little less crisp, which may be true of Gino Santini’s original photography. The DTS-HD 2.0 audio includes tracks in German, Italian and English, with the Italian and German ones sounding the strongest (which also includes accurately translated subtitles). The very welcome English audio is occasionally hissy and not quite as robust, but honestly, this isn’t much of a distraction at all. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Xp1_5BFN-2uQKe4f_bCfkDCFL7zHR26NTlkNgAgUzw_npyzWJWOtn02iIOvjJ3mHT0YVn-i2O5uQzLkpHb0LED7k6JkkMZAQgMSHhAqHzqK-UvrirP5NRrIuNt-mICNTgfdayIaXUnPBZ4L8BUgjpNWJg7M0L41RrGlz2e9VVau_hvHpCuuDepCO/s1920/6.%20MM%20and%20Nathalie%20Delon.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Xp1_5BFN-2uQKe4f_bCfkDCFL7zHR26NTlkNgAgUzw_npyzWJWOtn02iIOvjJ3mHT0YVn-i2O5uQzLkpHb0LED7k6JkkMZAQgMSHhAqHzqK-UvrirP5NRrIuNt-mICNTgfdayIaXUnPBZ4L8BUgjpNWJg7M0L41RrGlz2e9VVau_hvHpCuuDepCO/w400-h225/6.%20MM%20and%20Nathalie%20Delon.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Given the film’s rarity, Cineploit have included several very worthwhile extras beginning with <b>Maurizio Merli: A Lethal Hunter of Subtle Variation</b> (29m), a terrific look at Merli’s less-talked about Eurocrime roles with tough-guy film expert Mike Malloy. He discusses Merli’s numerous attempts to “branch out” beginning with Stelvio Massi’s <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/07/years-of-lead-five-classic-italian.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HIGHWAY RACER</span></a></b> (1977) right on through to Gianni Siragusa’s <b>VULTURES OVER THE CITY</b> (1980), and freely admits that many of these roles are “only minor variations of the same tough-guy mold.” It’s a wonderfully produced featurette with a keen eye for detail, which not only showcases some terrific promotional material, but is a perfect primer for anyone looking to broaden their appreciation into some of the more obscure Eurocrime films that are beginning to surface on disc. Other extras include alternate German and English opening credit sequences (2m22s) sourced from VHS, a brief poster and vidart gallery (25s) and the film’s exceptional soundtrack (57m01s) as composed by Roberto Pregadio and Carlo Cristallini. As with all of Cineploit’s releases, it’s beautifully packaged in a slick mediabook (available in four different cover variations at the following links: <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/i-gabbiani-volano-basso-aka-killer-sterben-einsam-aka-seagulls-fly-low-mediabook-bluray-cover-a" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">cover A</span></a>, <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/i-gabbiani-volano-basso-aka-killer-sterben-einsam-giorgio-cristallini-italy-1978-cover-b" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">cover B</span></a>, <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/i-gabbiani-volano-basso-aka-killer-sterben-einsam-giorgio-cristallini-italy-1978-cover-c" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">cover C</span></a>, and <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/i-gabbiani-volano-basso-aka-killer-sterben-einsam-giorgio-cristallini-italy-1978-cover-d" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">cover D</span></a>), which also includes a nicely illustrated liner notes booklet with writing by Udo Rotenberg, and with English translations by Matt Thompson.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even if the film lacks the true visceral punch and driving tabloid dynamism of Maurizio Merli’s other, more infamous Eurocrime films such as Umberto Lenzi’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-tough-ones-blu-ray-review_19.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE TOUGH ONES</span></a></b> (1976), <b>SEAGULLS FLY LOW</b> remains engaging nonetheless, especially via Cineploit’s superb new Blu-ray. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-67918066130981514552022-11-15T09:57:00.006-05:002022-11-15T12:00:16.022-05:00THE CROSS OF THE 7 JEWELS BLU-RAY REVIEW<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnJk7gdwhkKOkEZa7r0HYP105XfTCNW_SrUrgiZh5c_MWBv9dqQEKhtwsFdK0lPv97X9QacWDOOLCt4tyVMu11ahUM3pnP3LiOTR3tfzl6SM8ahkSIieigucw4u-9_14jNDQ-Wv84s_bFfmzTan9W7-g7QTmwco1fsbPMp_UIO8c_fLbCnMTvdICQ/s1920/1.%20Marco%20attacks!.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnJk7gdwhkKOkEZa7r0HYP105XfTCNW_SrUrgiZh5c_MWBv9dqQEKhtwsFdK0lPv97X9QacWDOOLCt4tyVMu11ahUM3pnP3LiOTR3tfzl6SM8ahkSIieigucw4u-9_14jNDQ-Wv84s_bFfmzTan9W7-g7QTmwco1fsbPMp_UIO8c_fLbCnMTvdICQ/w400-h225/1.%20Marco%20attacks!.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As an ambitious theatre actor, present director Marco Antonio Andolfi had previously appeared in a few downscale Italian films including Luigi Russo’s and Enzo Doria’s rather baffling Adam & Eve story <b>BLUE PARADISE</b> (1983). With <b>THE CROSS OF THE 7 JEWELS </b>(1987) however, his first—and only—directorial effort, he not only directs, but also acts, writes, edits, and even handles the special effects! Difficult to classify, let alone understand, Andolfi’s wannabe werewolf picture is wildly overplotted and completely inept, which no doubt helped earn the film its deserved obscurity. That said, you still have to admire Andolfi’s enthusiasm (or just marvel at his perceived self-importance!), a fact which Italy’s Tetrovideo happily praises with their recent eye-catching, extras-filled Blu-ray. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkOqT6fGPNjkR4_86RRFL4vqO0ROlpBje7x5uvbuxzp8-wp6z4Vpsm8RnzBuYDIMLo82hMqyqRX-VLKKMI0SfGemz7xecoUruAHUBoUl7Uej-zmF4lqg3FHByyU2isjwlXXWv8fHV5CtMhZ4DgwRmamKiZFPjz2WbC12eHM7vqnoXElHcRmvAxYiL/s1920/2.%20Gordon%20Mitchell.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkOqT6fGPNjkR4_86RRFL4vqO0ROlpBje7x5uvbuxzp8-wp6z4Vpsm8RnzBuYDIMLo82hMqyqRX-VLKKMI0SfGemz7xecoUruAHUBoUl7Uej-zmF4lqg3FHByyU2isjwlXXWv8fHV5CtMhZ4DgwRmamKiZFPjz2WbC12eHM7vqnoXElHcRmvAxYiL/w400-h225/2.%20Gordon%20Mitchell.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Hidden away in a dingy basement, a satanic mass is underway, which is presided over by a chanting high priest (Gordon Mitchell), as he and his oversexed followers attempt to resurrect Aborym. Having seen one of his disciples unexpectedly transform into a hulking, shaggy-haired monster (who we assume must be the worshipped Aborym), the always-charismatic Mitchell begins to overact wildly. “Aborym! We are your slaves!” he cries. “Show yourself to me!” Abruptly and inexplicably, the film shifts to Naples where Marco Sartori (director Andolfi hiding behind his Eddy Endolf alias) has just arrived from Rome and meets with his cousin Carmela. As they stroll through the sunny city streets making small talk, a pair of <i>scippatori </i>(purse-snatching thieves) steal a special jeweled cross from around his neck. Determined to track down this vitally important piece of jewelry, Marco befriends Maria (Annie Belle) at a chintzy nightclub, and with her help, they scour the Naples underworld in search of his precious pendant, even rubbing shoulders with high-ranking Camorra bosses and Sicilian <i>Mafiosi</i> (one of whom is played by former leading man, Giorgio Ardisson), which allows Andolfi to introduce several unnecessary plot threads, most of which rapidly go nowhere. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBRMsYu6OXpHwJcZkZ6cAKy01BoapkdwVOUQ9AsZtSyZMOOjXWfumf6cfVteOqfacZ-jp8b44OtUzbS0gZfMjmujNF2Eyu-WF2cn0jOkxhDfAvcWfMyjLXMk3kHI1EJKtGtE9n94w1QdfTIgtolhSvgIKUwlMEmQftpw0GGgs-UooGTc-2CEXM6LQ/s1920/3.%20On%20the%20prowl.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBRMsYu6OXpHwJcZkZ6cAKy01BoapkdwVOUQ9AsZtSyZMOOjXWfumf6cfVteOqfacZ-jp8b44OtUzbS0gZfMjmujNF2Eyu-WF2cn0jOkxhDfAvcWfMyjLXMk3kHI1EJKtGtE9n94w1QdfTIgtolhSvgIKUwlMEmQftpw0GGgs-UooGTc-2CEXM6LQ/w400-h225/3.%20On%20the%20prowl.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">During the film’s first reveal of the so-called werewolf, director Andolfi confirms your conviction at the absurdity of what is unfolding before your very eyes. When Marco questions a lowlife, ornery fence about the whereabouts of his jeweled cross, he is quickly dismissed (“Calm down or you’ll give me a heart attack!”), but as the clock strikes midnight, Marco changes into something not entirely human, which consists of an overstuffed furry pelt on his head, hairy mitts with claw-like fingernails, some conveniently placed ‘fur’ covering his crotch, and nothing more. As Marco proceeds to foolishly grin and grind his teeth at the camera, he telekinetically (!?) melts the fence’s face into a big pile of goop, which makes for a fun and cheap effect, even if it is just a wax head being liquefied by an out-of-frame blowtorch. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXosraQOlTikvyPtc4qqUoEIvrDv-AFP4gsZPL06j07WqijGCjbIjVIN-6rfAfY-YTfy_DOwSJFVw5p7ha2MGVSG1GuOGmwgfBCx7rWd6gilqgczfWUeoiwDW19ryruHOSMwIztWcZjFJIJiz6VqHSkFYwOVd3gMZFmmaOKMXd4UiIxvkxebBuLRp/s1920/4.%20Goop!JPEG.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXosraQOlTikvyPtc4qqUoEIvrDv-AFP4gsZPL06j07WqijGCjbIjVIN-6rfAfY-YTfy_DOwSJFVw5p7ha2MGVSG1GuOGmwgfBCx7rWd6gilqgczfWUeoiwDW19ryruHOSMwIztWcZjFJIJiz6VqHSkFYwOVd3gMZFmmaOKMXd4UiIxvkxebBuLRp/w400-h225/4.%20Goop!JPEG.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although what it lacks in sophistication, Andolfi’s film more than makes up for in demented gusto, which also includes several poorly choreographed punch-ups with local Camorra thugs, corrupt politicians, and plenty of low-level criminality, which makes it come across like some sort of ersatz crime actioner masquerading as a horror film. In one prolonged scene, which includes a laughably out-of-date—and painfully slow—transformation scene wherein he only grows a few months’ worth of facial hair, he proceeds to wipe out an entire syndicate (“No need for an ambulance. They are all dead!” Mutters one <i>commissario </i>as he fatalistically shrugs his shoulders). In his haste to pursue all possible leads in the search for his cross, our decidedly unconventional hero eventually finds himself back in Rome where he visits Madame Armesia (Italian porn starlet Zaira Zoccheddu), a flamboyant fortune teller, which not only precipitates the film’s sleaziest scene, but also a rather head-scratching, anticlimactic confrontation. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFEqP__UHQgNCgy9-VKVLLKvLJ63fTJdnhcZUNY0pvJ0FEtOVZPCkQ0rsSeAYYVYqic5X8oZ4Raf2QAFLPmLRn_tIZtC7awcpGrAnibw9uIjl77eH_fFZoCC_yc8ryyCC0JGofzUYJdhuSvbHt0-r1hRudlLCB-JcLD_slCSsY9fryCeT853m8FTS/s1920/5.%20Annie%20Belle.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFEqP__UHQgNCgy9-VKVLLKvLJ63fTJdnhcZUNY0pvJ0FEtOVZPCkQ0rsSeAYYVYqic5X8oZ4Raf2QAFLPmLRn_tIZtC7awcpGrAnibw9uIjl77eH_fFZoCC_yc8ryyCC0JGofzUYJdhuSvbHt0-r1hRudlLCB-JcLD_slCSsY9fryCeT853m8FTS/w400-h225/5.%20Annie%20Belle.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Adding to the film’s elusive nature, <b>THE CROSS OF THE 7 JEWELS</b> never saw a home video release in North America or even Italy for that matter. Andolfi’s film first appeared on Japanese VHS videocassette in 1987 courtesy of Sony Video Software, and even though it was in English and nicely letterboxed (with burned-in Japanese subtitles, of course), it also suffered from the usual digital censorship, which awkwardly obscured all below the waist nudity. Outside of the grey market, this once highly-collectible VHS tape pretty much remained the only legitimate release of the film until Tetrovideo’s 2022 Blu-ray. Featuring an all-new 4K scan taken from the film’s original camera negative, this is a massive improvement over its VHS counterparts, and while the image does appear to have a certain softness at times (a product of the original haphazard photography), it still manages to include an ample amount of finer detail with true colours and nice depth. The LPCM 2.0 Italian audio track does what it can with the source material, but it isn’t overly dynamic, and of course, the post-sync dubbing is still very noticeable. Optional English subtitles are also included, which are well-timed and fairly well-translated, save for the occasional grammatical error. Unfortunately, the film’s hilarious English audio track, which features prolific voice talent artists such as Ted Rusoff, Robert Sommer and Pat Starke, is strangely absent, so keep that Japanese tape if you own it! For those viewers that need it, optional French and German subtitles are also included. An audio commentary with filmmakers Luca Ruocco and Ivan Talarico is also offered for those viewers that can understand Italian. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLU77bZdR7RUbT6H_f0cqADIUKjdR-bsbZYpX_JB-9EFt-99VoIfnMx0jdC0fbhMNvrESkKZtufL_TgUznYKxQfbGFc3JiFfkqXjkvBrQCRBkftCNn11GgvVjN3kxkY-YtpafEM_EVHxeHvUD1dBebXomUSg_ovKdb3UiaIgdbkXZ0SohMHhbUlY0/s1920/5.%20The%20Hand.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLU77bZdR7RUbT6H_f0cqADIUKjdR-bsbZYpX_JB-9EFt-99VoIfnMx0jdC0fbhMNvrESkKZtufL_TgUznYKxQfbGFc3JiFfkqXjkvBrQCRBkftCNn11GgvVjN3kxkY-YtpafEM_EVHxeHvUD1dBebXomUSg_ovKdb3UiaIgdbkXZ0SohMHhbUlY0/w400-h225/5.%20The%20Hand.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Not to worry though, there are still plenty of English-friendly special features (all of which are in SD) contained on the disc beginning with Luca Ruocco’s <b><i>Riassumendo Marco Antonio Andolfi</i></b> (trans: Summing up Marco Antonio Andolfi, 19m18s), which gives a thorough overview of Andolfi’s humble beginnings assembling his theatre company <i>Artisti Riuniti</i>, his migration into securing some bit parts (and missed opportunities) in films, and eventually helming his vanity project (and its subsequent iterations), which dominated the rest of his spotty career. Next up, we get Ruocco’s short film <b>JEKYLL/HIDE</b> (2005, 23m53s), which includes a brief ’30s-style horror intro from Andolfi, but seeing as it’s only in Italian, most English viewers will undoubtedly just skim through it. Having established a working relationship with Ruocco, Andolfi decided to helm <b><i>RIECCO ABORYM</i></b> (2008, 29m42s), a <i>VERY</i> belated sequel of sorts to <b>TCOT7J</b>, which has an ageing Marco (referred to here as “Eddy”) recollecting his troubled past to his girlfriend (Margherita Di Sarno) after a clumsily executed bout of lovemaking. Even with English subtitles, interminable scenes of actors doing or saying practically nothing – even when they <i>are</i> saying something – fill the running time, during which Andolfi pads the film out with reconstituted scenes from <b>TCOT7J</b>, which only serves to further elaborate his continued narcissism and make this nigh on unwatchable. A brief making-of documentary entitled <b>Riecco Aborym: il backstage</b> (14m33s) is also included, and is actually more interesting than the film itself. An Italian language “Super VHS version” (80m15s) of <b>TCOT7J</b> also turns up, which seems wholly unnecessary, but it’s here just the same for those that enjoy such things.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTjEm2ezK2a9xLw4mnSpztl9gCdE2gh9da2AlZF5L_k0ARH6xx1A7WaU_ZJ6Lb0c503yDU5jXCLMVdUvt7VYDVMtME_PtnyEWCYfV1RiPU0WKbmD3_4TyuwPNEKhZH1WJx-RtRm6-LAxPbAsrpRNbAU2E5SvzpqCtWVOAwIC48jl3yA1mfJNl4v6/s1920/6.%20Aborym.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTjEm2ezK2a9xLw4mnSpztl9gCdE2gh9da2AlZF5L_k0ARH6xx1A7WaU_ZJ6Lb0c503yDU5jXCLMVdUvt7VYDVMtME_PtnyEWCYfV1RiPU0WKbmD3_4TyuwPNEKhZH1WJx-RtRm6-LAxPbAsrpRNbAU2E5SvzpqCtWVOAwIC48jl3yA1mfJNl4v6/w400-h225/6.%20Aborym.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In 1995, Andolfi released <b>TALISMAN </b>(87m27s), a substantially re-edited and re-scored edition of <b>TCOT7J</b>, which now opens in 1962 and talks of a “precious talisman that radiated well-being”, which was stolen from the “heart of Africa”, and then brought about “world famines, war and disaster.” Lazily expanded with newsreels and documentary footage as well as a few stolen scenes from Hollywood blockbusters, Andolfi further tweaks this new edition with some bizarre—and completely useless—video effects to try and give everything a grander, more up-to-date scale. Despite its disjointed and excessively reworked narrative, which makes for a confusing time, it’s an interesting inclusion just the same, if not merely for the fact of seeing how to further cheapen (i.e., ruin) an already cheap and trashy film! </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDg_g7YMd79DuwAtW7bF7wGIFt0fVNw6QU5LidleL8CDBqNO1LGnVlu6BPd0ZiccaSvnWWbGhIaJhF5EZSw7bIZ3wYVpHNekY4gsiNMrKAXkZmOQ204Jn9fWtBZ1itM651lXiowxg0GXAfYlgpf-Y0fpGH1qxvuT5gJG_eeWJTKqNPgsfzEbzX2Xm/s1920/7.%20The%20Cross.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDg_g7YMd79DuwAtW7bF7wGIFt0fVNw6QU5LidleL8CDBqNO1LGnVlu6BPd0ZiccaSvnWWbGhIaJhF5EZSw7bIZ3wYVpHNekY4gsiNMrKAXkZmOQ204Jn9fWtBZ1itM651lXiowxg0GXAfYlgpf-Y0fpGH1qxvuT5gJG_eeWJTKqNPgsfzEbzX2Xm/w400-h225/7.%20The%20Cross.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Other extras include a brief deleted scene (1m31s), part of which originally served as a sepia-toned nightmare sequence that ran for 4m10s in the aforementioned English-language export version released in Japan, and which isn’t included in any of the versions on this disc. The extensive extras conclude with two different trailers for <b>TCOT7J </b>(1m04s and 1m27s), an overly-long <b>TALISMAN</b> (6m08s) trailer, and a trio of photo galleries. Incidentally, in a rather sloppy bit of disc authoring, all of the extras play out in one continuous file, but can, at the very least, be accessed separately by returning to the special features menu. The Limited Edition Mediabook, which included a 20-page booklet and an oversized slipcover reproducing the Japanese vidart has since sold out, but the standard edition (which includes all the same extras) is still available from either <a href="https://tetrovideo.com/shop/cross-of-the-7-jewels-standard-blu-ray-edition/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Tetrovideo</span></a> or <a href="https://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/cross-of-the-seven-jewels-tetrovideo-blu-ray-all-region/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even if <b>THE CROSS OF THE 7 JEWELS</b> has the dubious arguable distinction of being one of the poorest Italian horror films ever made, there is no denying Tetrovideo’s excellent restoration and handsomely packaged Blu-ray, which should please most fans of grade-Z Italian cinema.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-21489948447742614862022-09-09T13:12:00.001-04:002022-09-09T13:37:46.870-04:00JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3XtSfAFaUlH5J7GkHHZdQpF6zMdMl80Rbs3N05G_7ijh9CDR_FV-WhTtlvjOL6h9GpomHkeTYdkYIWSiCGFAb_TZ33jhkiY4aIZvf1ih2Dh0BugRjVy8EQv57o5w0_vJ8c-y5y1Zy6L63HXV5gpgx8sjFk5APM4kuGjjR2g66LnvseQTdVH5K6iu/s1920/1.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3XtSfAFaUlH5J7GkHHZdQpF6zMdMl80Rbs3N05G_7ijh9CDR_FV-WhTtlvjOL6h9GpomHkeTYdkYIWSiCGFAb_TZ33jhkiY4aIZvf1ih2Dh0BugRjVy8EQv57o5w0_vJ8c-y5y1Zy6L63HXV5gpgx8sjFk5APM4kuGjjR2g66LnvseQTdVH5K6iu/w400-h225/1.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Looking for steady employment after the end of his working relationship in 1977 with Swiss producer Erwin C. Dietrich, Jess Franco quickly accepted an offer from Robert De Nesle’s poverty-stricken distribution / production outfit Comptoir Français du Film Production (C.F.F.P.), a move which made for a rather hasty and unsatisfactory substitute. Although Franco had already worked with De Nesle earlier in the decade, his most recent three-picture deal with the veteran producer encompassed a threadbare trio of films, which included <b>COCKTAIL SPECIAL</b> (1978), <b><i>ELLES</i> <i>FONT TOUT</i></b> (1978), and the film in question, <b><i>JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT</i></b> (1978), which made its unexpected HD debut earlier this year thanks to France’s Pulse Video and the ever-prolific Vinegar Syndrome. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZRXMPEuHikRNypCVnOCELQhud4LBDyuCjiIM6QgAYNVB9UMKqDEjOzP-5M4npzEhLbPR-_NlUhvJjjOHKwxVeyiJJTVzUjLHOHEqNs9ITHxeXPrGb1BS6qUfn2saCmK7r6RlAJ395Gp5v2XBpKMGvMsOgsSP_td_Z67uD5_cCjLXGX1kTDYzVS-F/s1920/2.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie%20enters.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZRXMPEuHikRNypCVnOCELQhud4LBDyuCjiIM6QgAYNVB9UMKqDEjOzP-5M4npzEhLbPR-_NlUhvJjjOHKwxVeyiJJTVzUjLHOHEqNs9ITHxeXPrGb1BS6qUfn2saCmK7r6RlAJ395Gp5v2XBpKMGvMsOgsSP_td_Z67uD5_cCjLXGX1kTDYzVS-F/w400-h225/2.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie%20enters.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While dancing away at a Lisbon nightclub, virginal ‘nice’ girl Jenny Goldstone (Susan Hemingway) is oblivious to the fact that she is being shadowed by a pair of ruthless, smooth-talking sex-traffickers (Brigitte Lahaie and Didier Aubriot). After a night of sex (Susan saves her virginity with a request to go “the other way”), she is eventually ensnared in their net and sold like horseflesh on the white slavers’ black market. Forced into a house of ill-repute led by the sadistic, sex-hungry Madame Flora (Martine Flety) and her bisexual assistant Robert (Mel Rodrigo), Jenny spends most of her time locked away in a squalid basement with the other so-called ‘product’. Heavily drugged with an aphrodisiac gas (conveniently pumped through a pipe in the ceiling), the women become slaves to their own desires like lost, drugged-out junkies writhing amongst each other in a sea of naked flesh, which instills a nightmarishly pornographic tone, even if the film itself remains decidedly softcore. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSHlAyZsYsQwb603abJFvTlJux3jbfbmnhVHa6_xAGMzxucW0srf6pogUqwskv0w2n1Nos__gJ58tGSIc6tTZwdptoUdVKsk3k_27mUnJc1ISYns2wWngKkAeB8vPeYQ-5Wf7sCLb6gs9CY5X-j048v2zobt0BLkEUXbVGhtB1GeKPXmScrzRBcL5/s1920/3.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie%20&%20Didier%20Aubriot.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSHlAyZsYsQwb603abJFvTlJux3jbfbmnhVHa6_xAGMzxucW0srf6pogUqwskv0w2n1Nos__gJ58tGSIc6tTZwdptoUdVKsk3k_27mUnJc1ISYns2wWngKkAeB8vPeYQ-5Wf7sCLb6gs9CY5X-j048v2zobt0BLkEUXbVGhtB1GeKPXmScrzRBcL5/w400-h225/3.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie%20&%20Didier%20Aubriot.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Upon discovering that Jenny is the daughter of a prominent businessman and “far more valuable than they thought”, Lorna, one of the kidnappers (who comes in the alluring – and frequently nude - shape of French porno superstar Lahaie), hatches an impromptu plan to blackmail the father, intending to collect a hefty ransom for the return of his daughter. Elsewhere, Al Pereira (Jean Ferreré), a taciturn gumshoe wearing an Andy Capp hat is hot on Lorna’s trail as he tries to discover the whereabouts of Jenny. Not unexpectedly, the film’s final indignation is an appropriately effective twist ‘revelation’, which amps up the deviant criminality even further…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUb42krsRy_8lBkZxGFoPfIyFXxHtwe1RQNirjFmVD-OXUGzhzag54_SIDA2HNFV1PAN-NiufiOPPY6FluDg7dx3A7oGCdfhRWmjX4TC-jsRw9XEcA3W5FXr-mRFSwVnGSWyfTvQ81eTzNLg-X6VvKUe7idEKMy0IbgXt2Guvt4SXjgRd4h7rE0v0w/s1920/4.%20Mel%20Rodrigo%20&%20Martine%20Flety.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUb42krsRy_8lBkZxGFoPfIyFXxHtwe1RQNirjFmVD-OXUGzhzag54_SIDA2HNFV1PAN-NiufiOPPY6FluDg7dx3A7oGCdfhRWmjX4TC-jsRw9XEcA3W5FXr-mRFSwVnGSWyfTvQ81eTzNLg-X6VvKUe7idEKMy0IbgXt2Guvt4SXjgRd4h7rE0v0w/w400-h225/4.%20Mel%20Rodrigo%20&%20Martine%20Flety.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Attesting to this film’s quickie status, most of the film unfolds in cramped hotel rooms, cargo holds, and a dingy, minimally-furnished basement, which turns out to be a memorably downbeat locale of utter hopelessness. In keeping with the film’s title (“I burn everywhere”), actresses lounge around in constant partial or total undress while cries of ecstasy (“That’s it. That’s it. Moan. Moan.”) or agony reverberate throughout the hollow room; you can almost smell their sweat as Franco’s voyeuristic camera looms precariously from above. Proceeding from a similar rudimentary premise as Franco’s earlier <b><i>DIE SKLAVINNEN</i></b> (1975), <b><i>JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT</i></b>’s steadily mounting themes of sexual malaise (a theme also more readily explored in Franco’s essential <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/09/shining-sex-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">SHINING SEX</span></a></b> [1975]) reaches its logical crushing crescendo by film’s end, which compensates for the film’s rather hurried approach. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6zPBYeS7_Ihcr_z_awrfurhlmGQRsrN49ygQsEnqdAQQPHE0rgG6bTBv3UzxSGgA8jfNjPfWngURV49qeC4zwCoxVr_5KjCb9n9SAAQGIqtkFj6jFkfKFhO5CLleUWIxqrc9FlOZ2ng-BPXrJFrB37LNJtXlUOdiPClL0hLkvM_g8pAQ6mptT9VW/s1920/5.%20On%20the%20stairs.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6zPBYeS7_Ihcr_z_awrfurhlmGQRsrN49ygQsEnqdAQQPHE0rgG6bTBv3UzxSGgA8jfNjPfWngURV49qeC4zwCoxVr_5KjCb9n9SAAQGIqtkFj6jFkfKFhO5CLleUWIxqrc9FlOZ2ng-BPXrJFrB37LNJtXlUOdiPClL0hLkvM_g8pAQ6mptT9VW/w400-h225/5.%20On%20the%20stairs.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although oddly credited to Paul Aicrag in the opening credits (which, to save money were simply spoken over the film’s introductory nightclub sequence!), this is an archetypal Franco film, which includes recurring characters (i.e., detective Al Pereira), a pencil-thin pulpy scenario, and a wonderfully seedy jazz score from Daniel J. White, one of Franco’s most trusted collaborators. And as with most similarly-themed Franco films, it doesn’t pretend to suggest any solutions to a grim and complex sociosexual problem, even if, however furtively, it offers some comeuppance to the traffickers and procurers of the world’s oldest profession.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElIkOUHzaPP40A4xZCpGq7hoIQQIExOxCTrJ7ZPns2JIcs73A1J0PKU7yLzj1rP33NZDFFMv2J8zRjFl8_sMn9i3BxLsi_5v5UKUEb7EiFIFv8pSUHSnXZLnH3CYF_Eqak4K-dPhV3qdBUPDCu6f6IqywYj7yWd63m2Hketob-IX8Qk0rJsfXb59f/s1920/6.%20Jean%20Ferrere.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElIkOUHzaPP40A4xZCpGq7hoIQQIExOxCTrJ7ZPns2JIcs73A1J0PKU7yLzj1rP33NZDFFMv2J8zRjFl8_sMn9i3BxLsi_5v5UKUEb7EiFIFv8pSUHSnXZLnH3CYF_Eqak4K-dPhV3qdBUPDCu6f6IqywYj7yWd63m2Hketob-IX8Qk0rJsfXb59f/w400-h225/6.%20Jean%20Ferrere.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Barely released on home video outside of France (the film also turned up on edited French-Canadian VHS in a less-than-stellar transfer), Pulse Video’s new 2K restoration of this underseen film adds considerable luster to its messy, somewhat indifferent photography. Presented in its original full-screen aspect ratio, some intermittent flickering still occurs (inherent in the film’s original negative), but everything looks remarkably good for such a cheap and scrappy film, with Franco’s unorthodox shooting style creating a uniform tone of ugliness, which perfectly captures the queasy voyeurism on display herein. Pulse Video only offers a DTS-HD Master mono soundtrack in French with optional English subtitles, which sounds perfectly audible despite the film’s post-synched dialogue and limited soundscape.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKV5zQQOIV-WPRtGL7T1UiigTD1Dv40hNfJW0eJxBHKwyHjFmZavdf5HfFK206xMnGb3WlR7t1UZOD6xAxSEmjfyX58tCCFyhJ-2Q0Sfj5Jhm6z_QSScam5d0RDVQEsMdlMX3R-0agSZZQ7Uk3_jLJrf8nrf_fVO8h3x7riLw8QxoH2zzyBkIWkfI/s1920/7.%20Susan%20Hemingway.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKV5zQQOIV-WPRtGL7T1UiigTD1Dv40hNfJW0eJxBHKwyHjFmZavdf5HfFK206xMnGb3WlR7t1UZOD6xAxSEmjfyX58tCCFyhJ-2Q0Sfj5Jhm6z_QSScam5d0RDVQEsMdlMX3R-0agSZZQ7Uk3_jLJrf8nrf_fVO8h3x7riLw8QxoH2zzyBkIWkfI/w400-h225/7.%20Susan%20Hemingway.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras are limited, but Pulse Video includes a couple of very worthwhile on-camera interviews beginning with <b>I Burn Over Franco</b> (13m00s), a candid discussion with Brigitte Lahaie wherein she talks about her time working on <b><i>JE BRÛLE DE PARTOUT</i></b>, and how Franco “didn’t leave a good impression” on her during her time on the Portugal set. More importantly, she talks about her reconciliation years later on Franco’s <b>DARK</b> <b>MISSION</b> (1987) and her great affection for this little-known picture, her time working on Franco’s big-budget <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2022/06/faceless-uhd-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">FACELESS</span></a></b> (1988) and Franco’s constant clashes with producer René Chateau. In the second interview, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murderous-Passions-Delirious-Strange-Attractor/dp/190722291X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=535U3TCJNA2W&keywords=murderous+passions&qid=1662743194&s=books&sprefix=murderous+passions%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C158&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Murderous Passions</span></a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Perversion-Delirious-Strange-Attractor/dp/190722260X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FYKCOJ5FT8WJ&keywords=flowers+of+perversion&qid=1662743240&s=books&sprefix=flowers+of+perversion%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C150&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Flowers of Perversion</span></a> author Stephen Thrower (25m15s) goes into great detail about this period in Franco’s career with a particular emphasis on the present film (he regards it as the “best” in this late ’Seventies trilogy he did with producer De Nesle) including the director’s dislike for it (“He almost washed his hands of these films.”), it’s downbeat tone, the “dark side of desire”, and its similarity to Franco’s <b>BLUE RITA</b> (1977). All in all, it’s another terrific discussion worthy of your time. Rounding out the special features is the film’s unique trailer (“<i>A film that doesn’t need publicity!</i>”)<i>,</i> which further emphasizes the cheapness of this entire endeavour. Nevertheless, it’s great to have one of Jess Franco’s more elusive films finally available and looking so good.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray is currently sold out, but an alternate Blu-ray (which also contains <b>DARK MISSION</b>) is currently available from Pulse Video <a href="https://pulsestore.net/produit/je-brule-de-partout-blu-ray-precommande/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>. A <a href="https://pulsestore.net/produit/brigitte-lahaie-digipack-collector-precommande/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">digipack collector Blu-ray</span></a> is also forthcoming from Pulse Video.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-16071366872083110552022-06-26T01:50:00.000-04:002022-06-26T01:50:04.155-04:00FACELESS UHD / BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsrZFUmlrS1hL4MOOqs2bCdWP_hOFdJVwFRLFFTlEFL06WKDMN1w3TLfHRyrkM_ic7uLI266_pj5Cp3kRXKqawSqzYP7bheb5eUr8t0XruwR-WpctBFiGjL8ur5k4_Sb9z4tOr_lrR0bmoqBOiqPfx5A3n_zFniZ-If79BiAWjnz-encgX3HRLa5n/s1920/1.%20Berger%20the%20mad%20doctor.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsrZFUmlrS1hL4MOOqs2bCdWP_hOFdJVwFRLFFTlEFL06WKDMN1w3TLfHRyrkM_ic7uLI266_pj5Cp3kRXKqawSqzYP7bheb5eUr8t0XruwR-WpctBFiGjL8ur5k4_Sb9z4tOr_lrR0bmoqBOiqPfx5A3n_zFniZ-If79BiAWjnz-encgX3HRLa5n/w400-h225/1.%20Berger%20the%20mad%20doctor.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Clearly inspired by Georges Franju’s masterpiece <b>EYES WITHOUT A FACE</b> (1960), here we get another variation of the oft-filmed horror scenario, but this time comingled with ’80s gore, pathological perversions, a third-rate detective story, and plenty more besides. Based on a story co-written by French movie mogul René Château, and featuring an all-star cast, Jess Franco’s <b>FACELESS</b> (1988) is an ambitious and irresistibly crazed confection, which has finally made the leap to high definition thanks to those ever-reliable folks at Severin Films.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7iFKEX6GFDWedaixI9D8jclS9eQqvH--3BxSB39yDF8pGFavYOZ42xejn0c20xoSOwOGtYQ1b586UfYeKYG2hhcL-_GsiZdoGTox2IHxT_JjgwOABWBJEbLHt5qM_bNSsN7x5ZYbf03inKOsCxbFlQbTIfhLd1vu2syCDcL7b9fxkYnMuXRtqWbb/s1920/2.%20Ingrid%20and%20Berger.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7iFKEX6GFDWedaixI9D8jclS9eQqvH--3BxSB39yDF8pGFavYOZ42xejn0c20xoSOwOGtYQ1b586UfYeKYG2hhcL-_GsiZdoGTox2IHxT_JjgwOABWBJEbLHt5qM_bNSsN7x5ZYbf03inKOsCxbFlQbTIfhLd1vu2syCDcL7b9fxkYnMuXRtqWbb/w400-h225/2.%20Ingrid%20and%20Berger.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dr. Flamand is a plastic surgeon (Helmut Berger) who runs an exclusive clinic on the outskirts of Paris. As he enjoys a night out in the city with his sister Ingrid (Christian Jean) and his assistant Nathalie (Brigitte Lahaie), he is accosted by one of his former patients whose face was disfigured following one of his procedures. Vowing revenge, she throws acid at him, but the botched attempt leaves Ingrid badly scarred, so with the help of Nathalie and their depraved servant Gordon (Gerard Zalcberg), they abduct various women in the hopes of restoring Ingrid’s face with a next-to-impossible “face transplant.” But when they kidnap Barbara Hallen (Caroline Munro), an American model working in Paris, her father (Telly Savalas) becomes suspicious when he doesn’t hear from her, so he hires Sam Morgan (Chris Mitchum), a private detective and ex-Army buddy, to try and track her down…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7POJBbb6em-c8dJAI_nnyu50eh3i2Cm8gJJc-d7E7uwGsttibdfGqxeliXFyOwhVwi_F7bulDKO5lzvmBMGHj4mqu1ndHlUdyR2Ia3-d76ow4c0_UKq3V1dzHwluaqWvnMHPL6dMxruRQiyVJY2ad7LxWhGKDef9IOl0biawdi5NwSZOTUX4kqGnt/s1920/3.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7POJBbb6em-c8dJAI_nnyu50eh3i2Cm8gJJc-d7E7uwGsttibdfGqxeliXFyOwhVwi_F7bulDKO5lzvmBMGHj4mqu1ndHlUdyR2Ia3-d76ow4c0_UKq3V1dzHwluaqWvnMHPL6dMxruRQiyVJY2ad7LxWhGKDef9IOl0biawdi5NwSZOTUX4kqGnt/w400-h225/3.%20Brigitte%20Lahaie.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Anyone familiar with Franco’s lower-budgeted work throughout most of his career, will immediately be struck by the film’s polished veneer, which possesses a decidedly different tone compared to say, his highly individualistic Golden Films productions from the early-to-mid-eighties. Jess had not been privy to such financial splurges since his days working for Harry Alan Towers back in the ’60s, but this generous budget soon began causing problems for the veteran director as evidenced in Alain Petit’s book, <u>Jess Franco ou le prospérités du bis</u>. “Jess had a hard time holding on to his usual collaborators,<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>who were indispensable in order to make a movie as close as possible to his own style”, wrote Petit. Petit also likened Jess to being “sole master of his ship” who was not used to overseeing “master ocean liners”, a set-up which Jess obviously disliked. But despite the stormy production difficulties, Franco still managed to demonstrate an astute use of a commercial genre, just like he did some 25 years previous when he helmed the similarly-themed <b>THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF</b> (1962). Much like any number of horror films from the period, <b>FACELESS</b> is also loaded with several practical gore effects,<b><span style="color: red;"></span></b>including decapitations, dismemberments, power-drill lobotomies, and of course, the requisite face transplants, one of which goes horribly wrong, but the film’s muted, far from convenient resolution (which is pure unadulterated Franco!) may have curtailed the film’s obvious commercial aspirations. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOcKvPh19YGMg9PutLaKwPdY1XFAJTxXdChEoPEKJF2K4RMPQod3tfY5BOQj9ib_O9ofq8nn8DnRAPrglH-KQKq4dIdbJNMIGulMPf-3mt3bog97jbIuGDRDPxTSwolmF-yJJdF-gD_PfDT8aQR0nuH7tfnlHXhm_KO9qsc16wl_-dlnOZXX5LHTx/s1920/4.%20Caroline%20Munro.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOcKvPh19YGMg9PutLaKwPdY1XFAJTxXdChEoPEKJF2K4RMPQod3tfY5BOQj9ib_O9ofq8nn8DnRAPrglH-KQKq4dIdbJNMIGulMPf-3mt3bog97jbIuGDRDPxTSwolmF-yJJdF-gD_PfDT8aQR0nuH7tfnlHXhm_KO9qsc16wl_-dlnOZXX5LHTx/w400-h225/4.%20Caroline%20Munro.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Topped off by an impressive, all-star international cast led by Helmut Berger, whose rather softly-spoken demeanour hides a sinister benignity, it is Anton Diffring whose performance as an egotistical ex-Nazi plastic surgeon (“The donors’ fears and panic are the best stimulants!”) that is most memorable. In a sly nod to his earlier role in Sidney Hayers’ <b>CIRCUS OF HORRORS</b> (1960) as you guessed it, a plastic surgeon, Diffring commits himself with grim determination as the over-confident genius (“I’m sure your hands are still magical!” remarks<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>Nathalie), and dominates the film whenever he’s onscreen and is rather unbefitting of his guest-star billing. Berger’s insatiably adulterous love interest comes in the beautiful shape of Euro-starlet Brigitte Lahaie, who also performs sincerely and exudes the quiet menace of a cold-blooded killer with perfection. Other than filling a vital catalytic function in the story, Caroline Munro’s character is mostly consigned to sitting in a padded cell while French screen veteran Stéphane Audran ‘sticks’ around long enough for a particularly gruesome bit of gory mayhem. Among other genuinely humourous touches, Franco-regular Howard Vernon shows up as the esteemed Dr. Orlof in a brief, but pivotal scene while Lina Romay also shows up in blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo as Orlof’s wife!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsxRlKPFBn9OPwKHNO7xshZ7PAVBsdDxcaL6VWuTyzhZozbLZ2cYdDmSKMWU3SkCpK5dDfJO-xEiUWstmjuTSkwJVn1uXqgS2adzUnUrr1YnOd_1Hrus6Sjgl1dOskbnX8zLOEwXfqPztbsIMG7TgAVqayXiPKPgmgeqUfj-_SCpM3jOYaAfL97mb/s1920/5.%20Stephane%20Audran.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsxRlKPFBn9OPwKHNO7xshZ7PAVBsdDxcaL6VWuTyzhZozbLZ2cYdDmSKMWU3SkCpK5dDfJO-xEiUWstmjuTSkwJVn1uXqgS2adzUnUrr1YnOd_1Hrus6Sjgl1dOskbnX8zLOEwXfqPztbsIMG7TgAVqayXiPKPgmgeqUfj-_SCpM3jOYaAfL97mb/w400-h225/5.%20Stephane%20Audran.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite its rather lofty pedigree, <b>FACELESS</b> was given spotty distribution in North America, first appearing on Canadian VHS courtesy of the long-defunct Malofilm, and heavily-edited in most English-speaking territories. Bypassing VHS altogether in the U.S., Franco’s ‘comeback’ film wasn’t<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>officially released until 2004 when Shriek Show debuted the film on DVD. A fine-looking disc, this featured the uncut film with audio options in both English and French, but for some strange reason, the last line of the film was only spoken in French, which only helped validate Shriek Show’s poor QC issues at the time. However, it did include several fantastic extras including a wonderfully detailed feature-length<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>French language audio commentary from Franco and Romay (subtitled in English), a ‘selected scenes’ audio commentary from Chris Mitchum, and video interviews with Franco, Mitchum and Munro, along with the usual photo gallery and theatrical trailer. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GCBTaWuSuROMxuodZyaGKVkCZ3SMMLeaTt1ijwzLtwm7RaCQEkpcPGGo7Xe2QUpi0qQrkZvYQF562I2U3p7mtvMcUE8WByI0VVGF5Mc1Yw4c1PirN6a2l6ts4KgoO92-SbK2p4Pz7Ryi8z5QJ_2wZ88XTxwvrVcluTFl0y2nkpF7GJPZM761-UQF/s1920/6.%20Guerin%20and%20Lahaie.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GCBTaWuSuROMxuodZyaGKVkCZ3SMMLeaTt1ijwzLtwm7RaCQEkpcPGGo7Xe2QUpi0qQrkZvYQF562I2U3p7mtvMcUE8WByI0VVGF5Mc1Yw4c1PirN6a2l6ts4KgoO92-SbK2p4Pz7Ryi8z5QJ_2wZ88XTxwvrVcluTFl0y2nkpF7GJPZM761-UQF/w400-h225/6.%20Guerin%20and%20Lahaie.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Absent from the home video market for the better part of two decades, Severin’s UHD / Blu-ray combo features a brand new 4K transfer and looks absolutely phenomenal, and works wonders with both the film’s surprisingly vibrant palette and Maurice Fellous’ slick camerawork, rendering it quite literally picture-perfect. A long time coming, the film will surely never look better than it does here! As expected, he DTS-HD 2.0 audio options in both English and French are also free of any issues, allowing Romano Musumarra’s incessant theme song (“Destination nowhere…”) to come through as clear as ever! Optional English subtitles are also provided. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg63rm19KJieXKRcvEoeiXApy_ajT5ZZrzxmpe3ygh6MI04FWA6VZM-KsIdTbHoeT9Mm7gAFVRLh3gB_3CUkXcG7zLDBubihe1feq43UzDStYD8OwrsbafWV5pQQNcHOO8q407Wm-Zf2ffl4V0qA2y87Z1Evh_86bff-cZEb-gCYftP3LG60CxT-fM/s1920/7.%20Surgery.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg63rm19KJieXKRcvEoeiXApy_ajT5ZZrzxmpe3ygh6MI04FWA6VZM-KsIdTbHoeT9Mm7gAFVRLh3gB_3CUkXcG7zLDBubihe1feq43UzDStYD8OwrsbafWV5pQQNcHOO8q407Wm-Zf2ffl4V0qA2y87Z1Evh_86bff-cZEb-gCYftP3LG60CxT-fM/w400-h225/7.%20Surgery.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras include the aforementioned audio commentary from Franco and Romay (once again subtitled in English), which, after all these years, still remains a must-listen for die-hard Francophiles or just casual viewers wanting to know more about this cinematic duo. French and English trailers conclude the extras on the UHD. The remainder of the extensive special features are included on the Blu-ray, and begin with <b>The Female Predator</b> (16m07s), an on-camera interview with Brigitte Lahaie produced by the folks at Le Chat qui Fume. In it, she discusses everything from producer René Château (who had a “desire to direct”),<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>his falling out with Jean-Paul Belmondo, the rather remarkable cast he put together for <b>FACELESS</b>, the difficulties Franco had during the shoot (“I think that Jess Franco suffered a lot on this shoot!”), her thoughts on both Jean Rollin and Franco, and much more. In <b>Facial Recognition</b> (20m27s), author and film critic Kim Newman talks at great length about “Cinema’s Plastic Surgery Nightmares”, beginning with Lew Landers’ <b>THE RAVEN</b> (1935) to Franco’s <b>FACELESS</b> and everything in between including Franco’s earlier Dr. Orlof films. In <b>Parisian Encounters</b> (25m55s), Caroline Munro chats about her introduction to Franco, how she landed the role in <b>FACELESS</b> and why she decided to do it because it was “out there.” She also comments on her many co-stars and how “honoured” she felt to be working with many of them. Of course, being a Franco film, <u>Murderous Passions</u> and <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Perversion-Delirious-Strange-Attractor/dp/190722260X/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2JBR29T1HNVO2&keywords=MURDEROUS+PASSIONS&qid=1656221789&s=books&sprefix=murderous+passions%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C119&sr=1-5" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Flowers of Perversion</span></a></u> author Stephen Thrower is interviewed in <b>Predators of the Night</b> (26m08s), which is another extremely thorough discussion about Jess’ working conditions throughout the ’80s and what led him to helming <b>FACELESS</b>, his many influences for the film, his dislike of working around special effects, and much more. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GnHtK17c-ENHtmDVJGE7KQ5XEiXvca4u9zwjkkos3W__I8OEOUi1TVo7L3rYXpWBi8bgDmn-93vJX48Vb0vNS7yjxmBRGuFWWuVyHy5z9PPpTwijcZo_-UQ8MQZVNdkqdDtW2M0d4FXDKI-dn9eJ-PDhPB0AhcXgevQfsvvixTTPALxms8PSfK3s/s1920/8.%20Face%20transplant.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GnHtK17c-ENHtmDVJGE7KQ5XEiXvca4u9zwjkkos3W__I8OEOUi1TVo7L3rYXpWBi8bgDmn-93vJX48Vb0vNS7yjxmBRGuFWWuVyHy5z9PPpTwijcZo_-UQ8MQZVNdkqdDtW2M0d4FXDKI-dn9eJ-PDhPB0AhcXgevQfsvvixTTPALxms8PSfK3s/w400-h225/8.%20Face%20transplant.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Other, no less significant bonuses include a <b>Faceless EPK</b> (8m33s),<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>which contains behind-the-scenes clips<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>of Jess directing on-set and brief interviews with Mitchum, Savalas and Berger, as well as <b>Therese II: The Mission</b> (3m31s), a short film starring Brigitte Lahaie as a gun-wielding nun, which was originally included on every 35mm print of <b>FACELESS</b> as a “preliminary program.” Being the completists that they are, Severin Films also incorporate the Franco and Mitchum interviews, and the ‘selected scenes’ commentary from Shriek Show’s disc. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Slickly constructed and featuring a wonderful cast, Jess Franco’s <b>FACELESS</b> is an irresistible and colourfully outrageous Euro horror, which is expertly handled by the folks at Severin Films with their flawless UHD / Blu-ray combo. As usual, their disc also includes reversible cover art and a wonderful slipcover, which fans of Brigitte Lahaie should appreciate. Order it direct from <a href="https://severinfilms.com/collections/4k-uhd/products/faceless-4k-uhd" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Severin Films</span></a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>PLEASE NOTE</b>: All screen grabs are taken directly from the Blu-ray and not the UHD. </span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-23079749857516184212022-06-12T00:16:00.004-04:002022-06-12T00:47:50.129-04:00CONTRABAND BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PlaV4Yfk66ZMcIDM4lKppu3VSyLlX_MnlG-HOl9d4_nXpL7qGFWC4B0HE8LZWkAmZ3toKPQ-r3silIOAxfqiO4ebKlcfiGt0bz84WXZZRZug0weaMaHb7Vzj7kHKcr0LbiGgYcDPD2zvhNgDcRX0GWuEU7rZgDTy5zJxx5Wnfrt9RAkKtcDgXCw5/s1920/1.%20Fabio%20Testi.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6PlaV4Yfk66ZMcIDM4lKppu3VSyLlX_MnlG-HOl9d4_nXpL7qGFWC4B0HE8LZWkAmZ3toKPQ-r3silIOAxfqiO4ebKlcfiGt0bz84WXZZRZug0weaMaHb7Vzj7kHKcr0LbiGgYcDPD2zvhNgDcRX0GWuEU7rZgDTy5zJxx5Wnfrt9RAkKtcDgXCw5/w400-h225/1.%20Fabio%20Testi.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Translation of an Italian newspaper ad from August 1980: <i>‘Experience First-Hand All the Battles and the Violence of Italian Smuggling!’ </i> </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In spite of the usual hyperbole given above, nothing could possibly prepare audiences for Lucio Fulci’s <b>CONTRABAND</b> (1980), which turned out to be the bloodiest Italian crime movie of them all! Original Italo pressbooks inevitably compared <b>CONTRABAND</b> to William Friedkin’s <b>THE FRENCH CONNECTION</b> (1971)<span style="color: red;"> </span>and that film’s prime villain, Marcel Bozzuffi, here plays “the gangster from Marseilles who unleashes a chain of violence.” While it clearly derives its inspiration from Friedkin’s groundbreaking picture, Fulci’s film is your standard tale of Camorra in-fighting and revenge, albeit liberally splattered with outrageous scenes of graphic violence that rival anything in his much-discussed/praised cannibal zombie films. Produced by Sandra Infascelli, this was her next big Italocrime production following Umberto Lenzi’s last great contribution to the genre, <b>FROM CORLEONE TO BROOKLYN</b> (1979), but unlike the prolific Lenzi, <b>CONTRABAND </b>was Fulci’s only all-out crime film, which has finally made its worldwide Blu-ray debut thanks to the dedicated folks at Cauldron Films.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47a2jzQjIoqtiSzVLahPIDI27k1pAONq-TMtCACy-iB7Knm8kKqgapSwUyWSzL8qhFlN3cGlLEFoGNIdgT4OhiQp7eltbcw-elabsc_OGKM3BnBi4SsTI0zTED69VjView8CHacOP4YYrSsGyaJO4t4GDDWR5vCGiYmuJHkJ6pJnQ6Gs5bGQC2SGy/s1920/2.%20Perlante%20and%20his%20moll.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47a2jzQjIoqtiSzVLahPIDI27k1pAONq-TMtCACy-iB7Knm8kKqgapSwUyWSzL8qhFlN3cGlLEFoGNIdgT4OhiQp7eltbcw-elabsc_OGKM3BnBi4SsTI0zTED69VjView8CHacOP4YYrSsGyaJO4t4GDDWR5vCGiYmuJHkJ6pJnQ6Gs5bGQC2SGy/w400-h225/2.%20Perlante%20and%20his%20moll.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">When <i>motoscafi blu</i> (“blue speedboat”) bandits Luca (Fabio Testi) and his brother Mickey (Enrico Maisto) are almost apprehended by the <i>pappagallo</i> (local slang for “police boat”) while smuggling cigarettes into Naples, they’re convinced that a rival contrabander named Sciarrino (Ferdinando Murolo), has ratted them out. They plan on teaching Sciarrino a valuable lesson with the help of Luigi Perlante (Saverio Marconi), a hot-headed but powerful gangster. However, Mickey is gunned-down the following day by a hitman disguised as a cop and Luca soon realizes that Sciarrino wasn’t responsible for betraying them to the <i>Guardia di Finanza</i> after all. In actuality it was the work of </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-style: normal;">François </span></em><i><span lang="EN-US"></span></i><span lang="EN-US">Jocois</span><span lang="EN-US"> better known as “The Marseilleise”<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>(Bozzuffi, natch’), a vicious Marseilles drug lord<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b>out to replace the prosperous cigarette trade with a far stronger addiction… heroin.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8hsNjoigTp5JUEFaZn_z5ChE7suiVXX3O-gwEX_YveTGsCA4Kl7T4xB3vJFHQ4893qtcBFovZp2STD4qCmFIvtDVYLVlPOcNqpN_U-CcWoqDs8e1VsLIX7J9X3N3WVLSQyRrc9hTMWS_Kp9xKZCvZDzveG-W1oMiihQrYD8znGLUvnAYnHLMWnso/s1920/3.%20Romano%20Puppo.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8hsNjoigTp5JUEFaZn_z5ChE7suiVXX3O-gwEX_YveTGsCA4Kl7T4xB3vJFHQ4893qtcBFovZp2STD4qCmFIvtDVYLVlPOcNqpN_U-CcWoqDs8e1VsLIX7J9X3N3WVLSQyRrc9hTMWS_Kp9xKZCvZDzveG-W1oMiihQrYD8znGLUvnAYnHLMWnso/w400-h225/3.%20Romano%20Puppo.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As discussed earlier, <b>CONTRABAND</b> is very similar in concept to any number of camorra pics that take place on the Neapolitan docks (i.e., the Alfonso Brescia / Mario Merola films such as <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-new-godfathers-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE NEW GODFATHERS</span></a></b> [1979]), but the primary reason for the film’s continued popularity— especially among fans of Fulci’s horror films—is the excessive amount of gore spilled: heads are blown apart, bodies are messily riddled with bullets, et cetera. As one of the film’s innumerable hitmen, Italian character actor Nello Pazzafini winds up boiled alive in a bubbling sulphur pit (“Asshole deserved ta end up like this!”), while Testi goes on to skewer his brother’s killer with a 9-inch nail. When one character is shot in the Adam’s Apple, his wound gushes voluminous quantities of gore, which is comparable to anything seen in Fulci’s splatter classics <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/12/zombie-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">ZOMBIE</span></a></b> (1979) or his <i>pièce de résistance</i>, <b>THE BEYOND</b> (1981). Come to think of it, this <i>is</i> one of his splatter classics!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7oIgoFq1tIw9gRJPOGap2jwF-Q6NE6Zhlq9rUcL548v0-puRmPz3dMCCwdm6CzdA4-8CIruF-ULG33iNYOT-OdOva5ThsW3UfYf8FQzn2oCT330-tM0kZlDumEev7NHylqbjCeg1ucE8xVlnYejgkUeSm7CcvTAfjJvSBaQ9ZHUWRhpBzTZIS-O6/s1920/4.%20Luca%20at%20the%20funeral.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7oIgoFq1tIw9gRJPOGap2jwF-Q6NE6Zhlq9rUcL548v0-puRmPz3dMCCwdm6CzdA4-8CIruF-ULG33iNYOT-OdOva5ThsW3UfYf8FQzn2oCT330-tM0kZlDumEev7NHylqbjCeg1ucE8xVlnYejgkUeSm7CcvTAfjJvSBaQ9ZHUWRhpBzTZIS-O6/w400-h225/4.%20Luca%20at%20the%20funeral.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As the ruthless French connection, Bozzuffi is especially effective herein and actually tops his star-making turn in Friedkin’s influential film for general nastiness. When Ingrid (Ofelia Meyer), a member of the Frankfurt cartel, tries to sell him some heroin cut with baking soda (“You stupid cunt! …It’s half bicarbonate!”), Bozzuffi decides to torch her face with a Bunsen burner belonging to his hunchbacked chemist (Luciano Rossi, who filled a similar function in Ferdinando Baldi’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2014/04/cogs-spools-and-12-tape-6.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE SICILIAN CONNECTION</span></a></b> [1972]). In another highly exploitable scene, when Luca finds himself all on his own, his wife Adele (Ivana Monti) is brutally raped by one of the Marseilleise’s goons (the great Romano Puppo) as Luca helplessly listens on the phone. Like one of his gory, drawn-out horror set-pieces, the camera lingers on the vile act, which turns out to be one of the more unpleasant scenes in Fulci’s entire <i>oeuvre</i>. As Luisa, one of Perlante’s molls, transsexual actor Ajita Wilson bares her “tasty set o’ coconuts!” in a feverish strobe-light disco sequence, but also suffers further abuse at the hands of rival gangsters.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46oypZerBhilNZc9DffZ840uGovrlQ7J_ZGdvN0LwKSL4jwQLvJy537E4OhrUoJQpM5wOnzcxiRNs89WKiJj5Ls7c-EVRifQ1SUOvbbdN0iaYZl82NB7cqdPkmCooMiR2b6kTmPPZRtQjKWSTnb_Us8TG8T8MFppHH23ZR3tXwoh4CLDhMU_7vJdp/s1920/5.%20Luca%20at%20the%20sulphur%20pit.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46oypZerBhilNZc9DffZ840uGovrlQ7J_ZGdvN0LwKSL4jwQLvJy537E4OhrUoJQpM5wOnzcxiRNs89WKiJj5Ls7c-EVRifQ1SUOvbbdN0iaYZl82NB7cqdPkmCooMiR2b6kTmPPZRtQjKWSTnb_Us8TG8T8MFppHH23ZR3tXwoh4CLDhMU_7vJdp/w400-h225/5.%20Luca%20at%20the%20sulphur%20pit.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Efficiently handled by Fulci (who also briefly appears in front of the camera as a shotgun-wielding hitman) and his now famous accomplices including DP Sergio Salvati, editor Vincenzo Tomassi and composer Fabio Frizzi, <b>CONTRABAND</b> seems oddly out-of-place when compared to other <i>poliziesco</i> or mafia pics. The extreme gore and hyper-stylized photography imbue the entire film with a haunting, almost otherworldly feel, which is especially evident during the finale at a desolate seaside locale. Some of the slow-motion action scenes also add plenty of visual appeal and take the cinema stylings of Sam Peckinpah to almost ridiculous—but very welcome—levels, all of which is ably complimented by Frizzi’s bass-heavy rhythms and chugging percussion.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTOYwzpIgrhTORcXF0BTaI0W66Dwz3RvMHXRPjKSUMg9sNC247QBNc6PtMXd2JoDiSI0p_YWsIHj-b960xiimvdb5nan_5SwSncvCUGad1V1CfkpA8JeHJaZxW7KXQffpyD8iASqYWPcpUgvtsW4fBCZ0hcGojWaDwoP9gDs335rHJl77RIdNq7bz/s1920/6.%20Nello%20Pazzafini.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTOYwzpIgrhTORcXF0BTaI0W66Dwz3RvMHXRPjKSUMg9sNC247QBNc6PtMXd2JoDiSI0p_YWsIHj-b960xiimvdb5nan_5SwSncvCUGad1V1CfkpA8JeHJaZxW7KXQffpyD8iASqYWPcpUgvtsW4fBCZ0hcGojWaDwoP9gDs335rHJl77RIdNq7bz/w400-h225/6.%20Nello%20Pazzafini.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Originally released on U.S. home video by Mogul Communications in 1987 (<i>“They want revenge… and the city is about to explode!”</i>), this once collectible VHS tape was, for the most part uncut, but featured a hazy transfer, which did no favours for Salvati’s eloquently grey-and-blue drenched photography. The film eventually made its DVD debut in the U.S. in 2003 via Blue Underground (a non-anamorphic Dutch DVD was also released in 2001 courtesy of Italian Shock, but the less said about this edited DVD, the better), which was a vast improvement in terms of picture quality and also retained the proper 16x9 widescreen format. The film was subsequently released on DVD in several European countries including Germany and Denmark, however a UK DVD from Shameless also included an Italian language audio track with optional English subtitles. For the time, the jump to DVD was a considerable upgrade, but all of these releases can now be rendered obsolete with the arrival of Cauldron Films’ new Blu-ray. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptIDfh1vmKskpW1B7MUwBjMOolj4i0RAnBJx9WXN5utrSKG9wiUesnA6-A8NF_hJm5GWjOY3VRVbLeMMacgwIEDyOxn0bS0xJidpYzhanZVjyC4GTY5Wr2VE8J51k1OR5UC7MYhnn0JSQ9EACrcTDjLwce3EJ2zCZb8f1mmXeUXk_rsF8n9CXNKqM/s1920/7.%20Perlante.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptIDfh1vmKskpW1B7MUwBjMOolj4i0RAnBJx9WXN5utrSKG9wiUesnA6-A8NF_hJm5GWjOY3VRVbLeMMacgwIEDyOxn0bS0xJidpYzhanZVjyC4GTY5Wr2VE8J51k1OR5UC7MYhnn0JSQ9EACrcTDjLwce3EJ2zCZb8f1mmXeUXk_rsF8n9CXNKqM/w400-h225/7.%20Perlante.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Licensed from the film’s Italian rights holder, Surf Film, S.r.l., <b>CONTRABAND</b> has been “restored from a 4K scan of the negative”, and looks absolutely magnificent. The 1080p resolution adds solid contrasts with plenty of shadowy detail and remarkable sharpness when compared to its SD counterparts. The image is, for the most part, still distinguished by Salvati’s cool grey-and-blue hue, but Cauldron’s new transfer also conveys an abundance of rich colours in several sequences (i.e., the disco club sequences), which also helps the many scenes of copious bloody violence really stand out. In a nice gesture, Cauldron has included both English and Italian audio options in LPCM 2.0 mono, which includes some slight differences in music cues, and while the Italian audio track sounds slightly more robust, the more familiar English variant also sounds perfectly fine, even if the English dubbing leaves a lot to be desired. Properly translated English subtitles are provided for the Italian audio (which again includes some minor differences) while English subtitles for the hearing impaired are included for the English version.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ykF7NyqAZLgrHm9BLmPrS_Z2e3rX1pv2MkmANjxsgCPeMtx_N3hIqPiXEk5ghVHJjQzOJW8F6AYWzHGgIYsre8T6yS8STqXhJ5TmSYke07BsW5g2PleDthC06v9kvsdtEIwh7eqXZZWvAdO3Qs_9syojEEIpAkIhYTvbcPbe6f4j6FnCrJ06DEbP/s1920/8.%20Francois%20Jacois.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ykF7NyqAZLgrHm9BLmPrS_Z2e3rX1pv2MkmANjxsgCPeMtx_N3hIqPiXEk5ghVHJjQzOJW8F6AYWzHGgIYsre8T6yS8STqXhJ5TmSYke07BsW5g2PleDthC06v9kvsdtEIwh7eqXZZWvAdO3Qs_9syojEEIpAkIhYTvbcPbe6f4j6FnCrJ06DEbP/w400-h225/8.%20Francois%20Jacois.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The extensive extras begin with a lively audio commentary with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cinemaarcana" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cinema Arcana</span></a>’s Bruce Holecheck, <a href="http://mondo-digital.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>’s Nathaniel Thompson, and author and film historian Troy Howarth all of whom have plenty to discuss about the film’s “atypical” nature and the film’s storied production history, which was partly financed by the local Camorra! They also talk about the overall “darker and somber” mood of the entire film, and how it plays out “very much like a horror film” with an “emphasis on sadism”, a point which is later expanded upon when discussing Fulci’s unfairly labelled “misogynist” tendencies. They also spend a lot of time talking about the many principal actors and their interesting careers including that “woman of mystery” Ajita Wilson and her brief but memorable time working in Italy. Of course, they discuss much, much more in what amounts to a thorough and very informative listen.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BHhGEEswOB-0Z62IrjYlkQ4EWh1vinckLy77U6nAXhKT25MvPES7EvVraiJbQSvN5cviE-MzDzufDlEg60OyMPaAXOWSpo8eo8UcGG4MZ80Rt3u3IKVC43hZStELOCI8hKdP7vpoWBzIf8hwj75LEJqDU8_oRe6mhaPcTV0uo5as9bjmfyzqA44_/s1920/9.%20Lucio%20Fulci.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BHhGEEswOB-0Z62IrjYlkQ4EWh1vinckLy77U6nAXhKT25MvPES7EvVraiJbQSvN5cviE-MzDzufDlEg60OyMPaAXOWSpo8eo8UcGG4MZ80Rt3u3IKVC43hZStELOCI8hKdP7vpoWBzIf8hwj75LEJqDU8_oRe6mhaPcTV0uo5as9bjmfyzqA44_/w400-h225/9.%20Lucio%20Fulci.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Further extras are provided by several revealing on-camera interviews conducted by Eugenio Ercolani, which begin with <b>A Woman Under Fire</b> (21m54s) wherein actress Ivana Monti discusses the early stages of her lengthy career, her move into film, and of course, the complicated and wonderful experience of working with Fulci. In <b>From Stage to Slaughter</b> (19m58s), theatre actor Saverio Marconi also recollects his time working in the Italian film industry in this career-spanning interview where he also chats about his “terrific rapport” with Fulci whom he recalls was “clever with a wicked sense of humour.” Sergio Salvati, one of Fulci’s most trusted DP’s is interviewed in <b>Lucio and I </b>(17m52s), wherein he fondly remembers their working relationship, the “tight-knit group of collaborators” Fulci assembled, and of course, he also discusses his rather gruff personality, which even bled into his private life. In <b>The Real Lucio</b> (13m24s), writer/director Giorgio Mariuzzo is very nostalgic about his experiences with Fulci, but he too, has nothing but positive things to say about the director and his working process, and freely admits he has an “aversion to horror.” A quartet of archival interviews featuring actors Fabrizio Jovine (5m34s) and Venantino Venantini (5m11s), Salvati (5m51s) and Fabio Frizzi (2m07s) are taken from the <b>PAURA: LUCIO FULCI REMEMBERED VOL. 1 </b>DVD and are a nice addition to an already over-stuffed package. Both the Italian and English language trailers, and a generous image gallery (4m22s) comprised of <i>fotobuste,<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b></i>lobbycards, video artwork and other ephemera are also included. And if that weren’t enough, the first pressing includes the complete Fabio Frizzi score on a bonus CD (16 tracks, 33m23s), along with 5 mini-<i>fotobusta</i>/lobbycard reproductions, and a slick slipcover!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Enlivened by several stylish action sequences and gruesome gore, Lucio Fulci’s outrageous <b>CONTRABAND</b> amounts to a consistently engaging crossover of obvious appeal to both fans of Eurocrime or straight-ahead horror, and thanks to Cauldron Films, this key title in Fulci’s illustrious career finally gets the respect it deserves. Highly recommended! Order it from Cauldron Films with the <a href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/cauldron-films/products/contrabanda" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Italian art</span></a> cover or <a href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/cauldron-films/products/contrabandb" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Graham Humphreys</span></a> cover.</span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-53171402874808300452022-04-29T00:39:00.000-04:002022-04-29T00:39:01.573-04:00DRAGUSE / LE BIJOU D'AMOUR BLU-RAY REVIEW<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqoQte19EaH0R7gHmVfg2JA-Mz4593yEGm23Yc2G2TpslmDX3nygmYs-9pMRfUB_W6grtSTZoiL7cHoCCcRbq5xl-VK1wfymT1Ya1t_H6n0AXeJFCMOoZHKHiNgRkDID8pY-GxeVOzqef9epORFrtcFgruMwzD8Jn-NrS1reqTt35hhDglSiMifzu/s1920/1.%20Draguse.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqoQte19EaH0R7gHmVfg2JA-Mz4593yEGm23Yc2G2TpslmDX3nygmYs-9pMRfUB_W6grtSTZoiL7cHoCCcRbq5xl-VK1wfymT1Ya1t_H6n0AXeJFCMOoZHKHiNgRkDID8pY-GxeVOzqef9epORFrtcFgruMwzD8Jn-NrS1reqTt35hhDglSiMifzu/w400-h225/1.%20Draguse.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Perhaps best known on these shores for his co-writer credit on Jean Brismée’s magnificent Eurogothic <b>THE DEVIL’S NIGHTMARE</b> (1971) and his shoddy nasty Nazi stinker <b>FRAULEIN DEVIL</b> (1978), the films of Patrice Rhomm have rarely—if at all—been discussed. Straddling the line between the highly individualistic films of Jean Rollin and the crass, budget-conscious works of Eurociné, Patrice Rhomm’s <b>DRAGUSE</b> (1976) and <b><i>LE BIJOU D’AMOUR</i></b> (1978) have unexpectedly arrived on Blu-ray (in superb transfers, no less!) thanks to Vinegar Syndrome’s recently revamped Peekarama line, and this fact alone should be more than enough to please even the most jaded Eurotrash enthusiasts.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIqgZUEQdw9kSEOKOnqvFAsFaepsHa7yFoyS461RdOHk2XUA8fcjBMYOwwfS5qmQgxI_OH4VfE8n8OlLasTg4_9-OGNZBZ3UpBmTWc-3oIZqNKZ7oq1jJvxGJ_tQdJsMFVNprxCP2Lvh1cWcw3Mpd5CqhMh3JtCaIANOMBB05F8q8QEQM4EzhJh8f/s1920/2.%20Blood%20Ritual.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIqgZUEQdw9kSEOKOnqvFAsFaepsHa7yFoyS461RdOHk2XUA8fcjBMYOwwfS5qmQgxI_OH4VfE8n8OlLasTg4_9-OGNZBZ3UpBmTWc-3oIZqNKZ7oq1jJvxGJ_tQdJsMFVNprxCP2Lvh1cWcw3Mpd5CqhMh3JtCaIANOMBB05F8q8QEQM4EzhJh8f/w400-h225/2.%20Blood%20Ritual.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">David Léger (Olivier Mathot) is suffering from some serious writer’s block, as well as some very strange—and erotically charged—“satanic dreams”, all of which involve the same mysterious woman named Draguse (the lovely Monica Swinn). When David’s publisher Jérôme (director Rhomm) finally offers him a chance at <i>paid</i> work writing a collection of erotic novels, he is disappointed, deeming the job beneath him, but his spunky girlfriend (Martine Flety) assures him that “Only sex sells these days!”. Lacking inspiration, he decides to explore the seedier side of Paris by visiting sex shops and theatres (“The dirtier, the better!”), but he finds that most of the films and books lack erotic imagination. However,<span style="color: red;"> </span>when he rents a secluded villa outside the city (“It’s like it was waiting for me.”), he is stimulated in more ways than one and begins to experience further “erotic nightmares” involving Draguse, which begin to take a toll on David as he struggles to differentiate between reality and fantasy…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4we3iE40jNNACHi9gT3ORVdA1_BimomP-vAYS6987Vn1wg7iUrDMjwArDnpagAh3VwULwmx8lZ94vDzRIntUglhj4HEoFC5TUB1YFoAt2gIj_2kgYUEdKuGhrcFa_TtgfJLu2HquAoiXwmNtZZrsz55Xe8vhhP8Omqx3t2fZC_vgi2aTnd3aVS5S/s1920/3.%20Erika%20Cool%20&%20Olivier%20Mathot.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4we3iE40jNNACHi9gT3ORVdA1_BimomP-vAYS6987Vn1wg7iUrDMjwArDnpagAh3VwULwmx8lZ94vDzRIntUglhj4HEoFC5TUB1YFoAt2gIj_2kgYUEdKuGhrcFa_TtgfJLu2HquAoiXwmNtZZrsz55Xe8vhhP8Omqx3t2fZC_vgi2aTnd3aVS5S/w400-h225/3.%20Erika%20Cool%20&%20Olivier%20Mathot.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Also known as <b><i>LA MANOIR DE DRAGUSE</i></b> (the film’s alternate onscreen title is <b><i>LES PERVERSION LUBRIQUES</i></b>), Rhomm’s rarely-seen oddity is, despite its lapses in logic, a thoroughly engaging film, which manages to muster up plenty of rather outlandish energy (which is helped along by Jean Fenol’s and Albert Assayag’s very pleasing score), or as one character in the film puts it, “abnormal ambiance.” The ghostly Draguse is first seen taunting David in his dreams while masturbating with a human femur bone (!), and later she performs a satanic blood ritual, but of course, all of this could merely be a figment of David’s over-zealous imagination, which culminates with a bit about a sleazy Nazi officer and his rather kinky photo shoot involving French porno regulars Claudine Beccarie and Erika Cool. More understated than is the norm for French adult films of the time, a nicely telegraphed final twist further reveals the film’s horror aspirations.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL1OlC-T-5Rtu6pGGSmBc_bmdQ0G2N2C1D9eXxDJofcjMH11KfmUKOMvDsI4lk78utXtT3DrYkjD3PM4kPHWS_rw8ni40D8bWs8cDyJeHI64XRUUBFQzSzEOKLhrStlJzXq5qPv6mIgItn7hubGZaL7-e_9jBBd1ll20KDqyJLFkfMF0bLT4KxLUM/s1920/4.%20Murial%20Vatel.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL1OlC-T-5Rtu6pGGSmBc_bmdQ0G2N2C1D9eXxDJofcjMH11KfmUKOMvDsI4lk78utXtT3DrYkjD3PM4kPHWS_rw8ni40D8bWs8cDyJeHI64XRUUBFQzSzEOKLhrStlJzXq5qPv6mIgItn7hubGZaL7-e_9jBBd1ll20KDqyJLFkfMF0bLT4KxLUM/w400-h225/4.%20Murial%20Vatel.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In keeping with the rather disorienting nature of <b>DRAGUSE</b>, the disc’s co-feature is another equally curious hybrid, once again aimed squarely at the French sex film market. True to form, the film opens with our protagonist Adrien (Jacques Manteil) getting it on with his editor and boss Gordonna (Brigitte Lahaie), who is the owner of “<i>Confidences de l’etrange</i>”, a magazine dedicated to the supernatural. When the lead reporter inexplicably resigns, Adrien is given the task of investigating Hugo de Baal, a recluse who“discovered the secret of the succubi”. Driving through the French countryside, he is surreptitiously greeted outside a cemetery by a scantily-clad woman (Murial Vatel) who, in a bizarre turn of events, sells him a ring that apparently belonged to the legendary Casanova! Naturally, Adrien satiates himself with a token grope session with this unusual woman before driving away. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Also known as The Devil’s Fork, this ring turns out to have an unfortunate curse, which turns anyone who even touches Adrien into an uncontrollable sex maniac. To further complicate matters, if the bearer of the ring can’t pass it on within a week, then they shall suffer dire consequences. However, this optimum opportunity becomes increasingly difficult for Adrien when he arrives at Hugo de Baal’s secluded mansion populated by numerous sex-hungry succubi…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcmMd5SwhCwXRCRqKfai45tGIwXHWtzeydMEzFt97PIUlTRI5cmQJjzqbUZehvS9i4MuaRIeMJ6KWDXEEGzb1fh2Du8X4s2f_xbzDvH02fVHq3jPfEb2ygwbUxyFRYnaZY1UJUZdFLy7r1G0Py5VkEX0LmHgNIxFmF7IM1Js0wq1agobwbJ2xJjVf/s1920/5.%20Gas%20Pump%20Girl.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcmMd5SwhCwXRCRqKfai45tGIwXHWtzeydMEzFt97PIUlTRI5cmQJjzqbUZehvS9i4MuaRIeMJ6KWDXEEGzb1fh2Du8X4s2f_xbzDvH02fVHq3jPfEb2ygwbUxyFRYnaZY1UJUZdFLy7r1G0Py5VkEX0LmHgNIxFmF7IM1Js0wq1agobwbJ2xJjVf/w400-h225/5.%20Gas%20Pump%20Girl.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Also known as <b>THE GEM OF LOVE</b>, the primary motive here <i>IS</i> sex, but by virtue of its overall look and tone, <b><i>LE BIJOU D’AMOUR</i></b> also fits perfectly among many of Jean Rollin’s or even Jess Franco’s off-kilter and surreal horror films. The rather languid, almost dreamlike pace and a very recognizable score from frequent Franco collaborator Daniel White (numerous cues from Franco’s <b>FEMALE VAMPIRE</b> [1973], <b>ZOMBIE LAKE</b> [1980] and <b>OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES</b> [1981] are used) keep things moving along nicely. The game cast, which also includes Joëlle le Quément and Pamela Stanford (in a typical eye-popping role!) also help compensate for the film’s obvious shortage of budget. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2muu15EblizW98cFrkiHbJlRy9FItaLNZdtoMjX3oMUDNU7qRqi5JUy7YlLxmGuqeswjQCRyOy2kEeA5M2JG-CrWmEvZYrvizivW0tDc3NPlUtAVlXNHijIWT_kkMI45AKHnw91-VWU83xB60IJGbpzofR1Z8Zct1zuGwdm1UGoJYHBi84EefDz9/s1920/6.%20Rituals.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2muu15EblizW98cFrkiHbJlRy9FItaLNZdtoMjX3oMUDNU7qRqi5JUy7YlLxmGuqeswjQCRyOy2kEeA5M2JG-CrWmEvZYrvizivW0tDc3NPlUtAVlXNHijIWT_kkMI45AKHnw91-VWU83xB60IJGbpzofR1Z8Zct1zuGwdm1UGoJYHBi84EefDz9/w400-h225/6.%20Rituals.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Vinegar Syndrome’s disc exhibits the usual high-quality transfers, which have been scanned in 4K and taken from their “original 35mm negatives”, so as to be expected, there is very little to complain about. VS even includes a disclaimer prior to the second feature about some “image stability issues”, which existed in the 4K master provided to them from the French licensor, but the casual viewer won’t really notice anything too distracting at all. In fact, both films look excellent with consistent, well-balanced tones and true colours. The DTS-HD Master Mono Audio is also clean and distortion free, which is especially pleasing given the nature of such low-budget productions and the usual dubbed performances. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJCPmPZQZaluC-rKIuroQpSlAsO-ZMqaM4bYSlIPrPZs5T7TE6juTJWGJ1yvDQePsEffYoIPK77VDKz_qw0U_W0dsiu3DlZ7hCybD45ijhHkuI91pKiZspUPv1lodYJ6hJVKm5I7xDqOQRSA-8oXEjNrTKUVvrwUs5HCyC0lSjR1uas0Qp5ZOBeNo/s1920/7.Tempted.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJCPmPZQZaluC-rKIuroQpSlAsO-ZMqaM4bYSlIPrPZs5T7TE6juTJWGJ1yvDQePsEffYoIPK77VDKz_qw0U_W0dsiu3DlZ7hCybD45ijhHkuI91pKiZspUPv1lodYJ6hJVKm5I7xDqOQRSA-8oXEjNrTKUVvrwUs5HCyC0lSjR1uas0Qp5ZOBeNo/w400-h225/7.Tempted.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras begin with a detailed on-camera interview with Draguse herself—<b>Monica Swinn</b> (39m21s)—wherein she talks about her time at the Belgian National Theatre and her “accidental” foray into cult films. Even though her career has surprised her (“I thought this would never come out!”), she also has no qualms about her choices and the rebellious attitude of the so-called “ass” films she made. Of course, she also speaks at great length about her time working with Jess Franco and the budgetary constraints of working with the French production house Eurociné. In the second interview, actor <b>Erika Cool</b> (11m58s) openly discusses how she got into making adult films at the time, her early days in Belgium working for the Querat brothers, and several interesting facts about many of her co-stars in the film. Finally, co-producer and writer <b>Eric de Winter</b> (14m10s) is also on hand and goes over the entire process of making the film, pointing out how erotica was a “must” to ensure viability. Interestingly, <b>DRAGUSE</b> was also the film first rated X after the legalization of pornography in France in 1976, which helped pave the way for future like-minded productions. Other extras include a trailer for <b><i>LE BIJOU D’AMOUR</i></b> (“<i>The film that opens the most secret doorways of sexual hell!</i>”) and an alternate—and much stronger—sex scene from the same film. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Enthusiastically cryptic to unfold and possessing some rather striking moments of genuine weirdness, this double feature Blu-ray from the folks at Vinegar Syndrome is a very welcome release indeed, which of course comes highly recommended! Order it direct from Vinegar Syndrome <a href="https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/frontpage/products/draguse-le-bijou-d-amour-peekarama" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-63613700689461529932022-01-02T05:36:00.006-05:002022-01-03T06:02:31.722-05:00UNPOPPED CINEMA'S TOP 25 BEST DISCS OF 2021<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgxr4AUtn6Lo4GoGcO9E2Ovhsjr96-kbHiLWFClhoqkog3pruKxywu-veQcC0p8of4hLdWFXvm7hDhT1jBV9kgQXICuyqTVtWiM5xIkrKw9dcIcqn_UxV83Utnrjp23S3vP4RDcfY8JXmTTWnPYgO-rMJYtXAP3jjZC0ILh4e3SVPkI4CzBKS5inLe=s993" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="993" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgxr4AUtn6Lo4GoGcO9E2Ovhsjr96-kbHiLWFClhoqkog3pruKxywu-veQcC0p8of4hLdWFXvm7hDhT1jBV9kgQXICuyqTVtWiM5xIkrKw9dcIcqn_UxV83Utnrjp23S3vP4RDcfY8JXmTTWnPYgO-rMJYtXAP3jjZC0ILh4e3SVPkI4CzBKS5inLe=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Between long hours of work (which required many days of travelling away from home), raising a family, and a few other writing assignments, I was unable to devote much time to my humble little blog, Unpopped Cinema. But despite not reviewing as many discs as I had hoped in 2021, I still put aside plenty of time to watch several notable Blu-ray releases from several incredible, hard-working labels. As I diligently compiled this list, it was rather astonishing to see just how many must-have box sets were released this past year. Unfortunately, a number of highly-anticipated collections such as Severin’s <b>ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS - A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR</b> and <b>NASTY </b><b>HABITS - THE NUNSPLOITATION COLLECTION</b>, as well as Arrow Video’s mammoth <b>SHAWSCOPE VOLUME ONE,</b> will fall outside the scope of this list. But, there is no doubt that they, too, would have made the cut if I had received them sooner. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the many notable 2021 Blu-ray releases below, which amount to a mere <i>fraction</i> of this year’s long list of highlights, all of which come highly recommended, of course.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZsI0ShRcflhtetczgC5YeyQPd02pFtp5_I7WDsjsb1Ej8-6O2woACeOw-gmnoBVKS9B4gtaCQNS2HMbQvogsVg1_3fbpQ3tc-asHeaUtzShOoe9rOXZ7wOnlltlQxvwob1nr-jHJNuPFdScWyzSzeY8hl9IrcDkxMRDMbz6Bvc7TL78cTVUWE92lo=s1244" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1244" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZsI0ShRcflhtetczgC5YeyQPd02pFtp5_I7WDsjsb1Ej8-6O2woACeOw-gmnoBVKS9B4gtaCQNS2HMbQvogsVg1_3fbpQ3tc-asHeaUtzShOoe9rOXZ7wOnlltlQxvwob1nr-jHJNuPFdScWyzSzeY8hl9IrcDkxMRDMbz6Bvc7TL78cTVUWE92lo=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">BEYOND TERROR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1980] (Cauldron Films) – Memorably mixing elements of the ‘<i>quinqui</i>’ (juvenile delinquent) films and horror, Tomás Aznar’s chilling efficient film has remained most elusive to Spanish horror fans. But, thanks to the efforts of Cauldron Films, they have come to the rescue of this rarely-seen film, which features a brand new, eye-popping 4K transfer and a terrific audio commentary from Diabolique editor-in-chief Kat Ellinger. Read my review at <a href="https://diaboliquemagazine.com/theres-something-malignant-here-beyond-terror-blu-ray-review/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Diabolique</span></a>. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">BLOOD FOR DRACULA</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1973] (Severin Films) – Paul Morrissey’s follow-up to his outrageous <b>FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN</b> (1973) has been in desperate need of an HD upgrade for quite some time, so it’s great to see it finally get all the respect it deserves. A personal favourite of Severin head honcho David Gregory, this 3-disc set (one UHD, a Blu-ray and soundtrack CD) is a true labour of love that contains several excellent special features and a transfer that puts every other release to shame. Further icing on the cake includes a slick digipack housed in a handsome slipcase featuring eye-catching artwork from Elizabeth Yoo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">CAMILLE KEATON IN ITALY</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1972 – 1974] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Never failing to impress, this 3-disc box set was a terrific surprise from VS. Gathering together Riccardo Freda’s <b>TRAGIC CEREMONY</b> (1972) and two of her most obscure films, namely Elo Pannaccio’s weirdly-hypnotic <b>SEX OF THE</b> <b>WITCH </b>(1972) and Roberto Mauri’s visually ambitious—and once impossible-to-see—<b>MADELEINE</b> (1974) made a lot of European fans very happy indeed. Of course, VS doesn’t skimp on the extras either with several worthy special features from film historians and authors Samm Deighan, Kat Ellinger, Art Ettinger, Rachael Nisbet, and Camille Keaton herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">CINEMATIC VENGEANCE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1974 – 1982] (Eureka Entertainment) – Having already released several martial arts films, Eureka surprised everyone with this elaborate 4-disc box set dedicated to the works of Taiwanese director Joseph Kuo. While not every title is a winner (the standouts being <b>SHAOLIN KUNG FU</b> [1974], <b>THE 18 BRONZEMAN</b>[1976] and <b>THE 7 GRANDMASTERS</b> [1977], in my humble opinion), this is a hugely entertaining set nonetheless that is jam-packed with plenty of extra features, and of course, the films themselves look better than ever. So snap this up while you still can!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikmS7B921NyB73EydcyFxPJfW6KpH-0PxuHaS3LPc64PWuMg-NK-Si9ceJsXWjOpGy0TeQS4trTSQ8G1nroZ02EVyO8UzryAxH8uSdZSZRxDMuIxeDFoKOY9IRaG64svQTM-YbhBgw7mh9PhI6fwZpzSCq_VjXmXOEm0UNEBKbBonbFoZm1Cwt4k-3=s1333" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1333" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikmS7B921NyB73EydcyFxPJfW6KpH-0PxuHaS3LPc64PWuMg-NK-Si9ceJsXWjOpGy0TeQS4trTSQ8G1nroZ02EVyO8UzryAxH8uSdZSZRxDMuIxeDFoKOY9IRaG64svQTM-YbhBgw7mh9PhI6fwZpzSCq_VjXmXOEm0UNEBKbBonbFoZm1Cwt4k-3=w400-h170" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1972] (Cauldron Films) – One of the more memorable early <i>gialli </i>outside the works of Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci or Sergio Martino, Sergio Pastore’s well-mounted thriller has been the victim of several shoddy transfers over the years. Cauldron Films’ new 4K restoration finally restores the film to its original luster, reinstating Guglielmo Mancori’s original 2.35:1 framing, which is a vast improvement over any previous release. Extras include a pair of very worthy audio commentaries from Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson and <a href="https://fragmentsoffear.podbean.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Fragments of Fear</span></a> podcasters Peter Jilmstad and Rachael Nisbet. The original Limited Edition (sadly, now OOP) also included a bonus CD of Manuel De Sica’s superb score in its entirety, a collector’s booklet, and slipcover.<b> </b></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DEAD & BURIED</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1981] (Blue Underground) – This is yet another beautiful, perfectly nuanced 4K upgrade from BU, which brings out the best in Steven Poster’s atmospheric lighting, which only enhances the appeal of this already fantastic film. This 3-disc set, which includes a UHD, Blu-ray, and a soundtrack CD of Joe Renzetti’s score, is loaded with the usual illuminating extras BU is known for having. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE DEAD ZONE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1983] (Scream Factory) – In what is considered one of the best Stephen King film adaptations, David Cronenberg’s most accessible film finally gets the recognition it rightly deserves with Scream Factory’s new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. Alongside a vast array of new and archival special features, SF’s flawless 4K scan of the original camera negative is a sight to behold and is the best it has ever looked. A superb release in every way!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJRVVCqfzmjwUF_O7TfahyZKttqUZnn1iSf0v2rrP5wLrdYeYWK0fP06GFMMjAO2Ju8LC6eHPQ5fXlJFFdmenXzijwnKcSf9eXTVC0Mp4S14pQHE0taJpvI_1t1HfaBCWGFxkxOv7URFEuViK_VPGwOL1wRKDygPqHpePoNXB80OwGpymC8pQ6sszX=s1025" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1025" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJRVVCqfzmjwUF_O7TfahyZKttqUZnn1iSf0v2rrP5wLrdYeYWK0fP06GFMMjAO2Ju8LC6eHPQ5fXlJFFdmenXzijwnKcSf9eXTVC0Mp4S14pQHE0taJpvI_1t1HfaBCWGFxkxOv7URFEuViK_VPGwOL1wRKDygPqHpePoNXB80OwGpymC8pQ6sszX=w400-h291" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE DUNGEON OF ANDY MILLIGAN </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1965 – 1984] (Severin Films) – Following their exhaustive <b>AL ADAMSON</b> box set from last year, the folks at Severin has outdone themselves yet again with this all-encompassing descent into the world of Andy Milligan’s fascinating filmic oeuvre. Highlighted by the once thought-to-be-lost uncut versions of <b>TORTURE DUNGEON</b> (1970), <b>BLOODTHIRSTY BUTCHERS</b> (1970), and <b>THE MAN WITH TWO HEADS</b> (1972), every film in this lovingly assembled box set features brand new transfers and a wealth of extras including <u>Andy Milligan’s Venom</u>, an excellent 128-page book written by Stephen Thrower. Again, the folks at Severin have truly outdone themselves, and this may well be the very <i>best</i> release of the year!</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE EUROCRYPT OF CHRISTOPHER LEE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1962 – 1972] (Severin Films) – Collecting together several of the iconic star’s more obscure European outings (including the worldwide disc debut of Giuseppe Veggezzi’s intriguingly odd <b>CHALLENGE THE DEVIL</b> [a.k.a. <b><i>KATARSIS</i></b>, 1963]), Severin’s meticulously curated box set also includes 24 episodes of <b>Theatre Macabre</b>, a polish TV show (for which Lee delivered the intro and outro), numerous rarely-seen documentary shorts, archive interviews and so much more. The set also includes a superb 88-page book from Lee biographer Jonathan Rigby. <i>Essential!</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1973] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Thanks to the tireless folks at Vinegar Syndrome, this long-awaited HD release of Paul Morrissey's undisputed cult classic has arrived in fine style indeed. Beautifully packaged with 2 Blu-rays and a UHD, the film includes Polarized 3-D, Anaglyph 3-D, and flat viewing options, as well as a multitude of archival and newly-produced extra features, including a new audio commentary from Samm Deighan, Kat Ellinger, and Heather Drain. It’s so great to finally have this film back in active circulation again and looking so good too!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FREE HAND FOR A TOUGH COP</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Fractured Visions) – Although never released on these shores in an English-friendly version, this solidly entertaining caper from director Umberto Lenzi gets the royal treatment via Fractured Visions’ recent UK Blu-ray. The copious extras include two audio commentaries (one from Mike Martinez and the other from Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson) and a wealth of on-camera interviews with many of the film’s cast and crew courtesy of Eugenio Ercolani. Great fun and worthy of repeat viewings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">HOMEBODIES</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1974] (Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – Barely released theatrically and never issued on disc, Larry Yust’s black comedy (which occasionally and effectively delves into horror territory) is an offbeat sleeper, which deserves to have a larger audience. Six old folks refuse to move from their rundown tenement and eventually resort to murder, but despite their very unorthodox efforts, the wrecking ball looms closer and closer each day. Anchored by several terrific performances (with Paula Trueman being a particular standout) and plenty of insightful social commentary, it’s great to have this underrated gem finally available on Blu-ray. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE HOUSE OF LOST WOMEN</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1982] (Severin Films) – Impossible to see for years, this is one of Jess Franco’s more twisted, iconoclastic works, which seeks to shock and provoke at every instance. Featuring standout performances from the ever-reliable Antonio Mayans and the utterly shameless Lina Romay, Severin’s new Blu-ray looks just about perfect especially given the inherent nature of such a low-budget production. Extras include Severin’s ongoing doc <b>In the Land of Franco Part 6</b> with Stephen Thrower and Mayans visiting several filming locations in southern Spain, an on-camera interview with Thrower, a detailed audio essay from Robert Monell, and a bonus 16-track soundtrack CD of Daniel J. White music cues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyMAO8EPWLvsQoDVo4wIS1UTv6WSUS2AzJtDt-TRO3k-dQfMI3NLpEfMQrEnrjwGFVnh7xBBX-kHIEoqPuMv07nmvaX1V5tIbMCTzEwhMM7JM0hzt89_NKVDvRVR5MfPvoJyKGf5zKN0ST2ojxC_IG6z-wZ33Gh6rc6foGBwu3OjKzZ1QyUZbGngw=s1332" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1332" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyMAO8EPWLvsQoDVo4wIS1UTv6WSUS2AzJtDt-TRO3k-dQfMI3NLpEfMQrEnrjwGFVnh7xBBX-kHIEoqPuMv07nmvaX1V5tIbMCTzEwhMM7JM0hzt89_NKVDvRVR5MfPvoJyKGf5zKN0ST2ojxC_IG6z-wZ33Gh6rc6foGBwu3OjKzZ1QyUZbGngw=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">THE HOWL OF THE DEVIL</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1988] (Mondo Macabro) – Never officially released on any home video format anywhere in the world, MM has come to the rescue of this excellent late-entry effort from Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy. Featuring a new 4K scan from the original camera negative, the fact that this even got released is a cause for celebration, so having it look this good is a minor miracle. MM also includes interviews, an archival promotional making-of doc, and an audio commentary from Naschycast’s Rod Barnett and Troy Guinn. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">HUNTING GROUND</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1983] (Mondo Macabro) – Far from your standard rape/revenge film, Jorge Grau’s intelligent look at an idealistic defense attorney (Assumpta Serna) and the vagaries of justice is a real slow burn and possibly one of Grau’s darkest films. As usual, MM’s first-rate presentation of this once exceedingly difficult-to-see shocker looks just about flawless, which features a brand new 4K scan taken from the film’s OCN. Extras include a lengthy archival interview with the director, while the now OOP Limited Edition also included a 20-page booklet with writing from Ismael Fernández.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE KINDRED</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1987] (Synapse Films) – Showcasing loads of practical F/X work, this long-gestating project from the folks at Synapse Films arrived earlier this year and was well worth the long wait! Starring Amanda Pays, Rod Steiger, and Kim Hunter, this outstanding creature feature has never looked better than it does here with an exceptional new 4K transfer of the 35mm interpositive. Housed in a beautiful Steelbook and slipcover, this 3-disc set (one Blu-ray, one DVD, and one CD) also includes many extras, including <b>Inhuman Experiments</b>, a thorough documentary from Michael Felsher’s Red Shirt Pictures. <i>Highly recommended!</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVttcqS645Ezu0xolhRY1OsVWcKZP_Z2teFHEvjpplK5DySxZulSgb96sLzNP5oKilPYhEMvZgpnNcADAftlSE_yd5LylYV_L2EnLtfN9-3xVouPjGOJcYGHiMCquX4r1tug0nL0ilEpxxkhiJcRekVm7YauhUQEnRav6zCw6xizyMd_iQV2uRfJ3m=s1251" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1251" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVttcqS645Ezu0xolhRY1OsVWcKZP_Z2teFHEvjpplK5DySxZulSgb96sLzNP5oKilPYhEMvZgpnNcADAftlSE_yd5LylYV_L2EnLtfN9-3xVouPjGOJcYGHiMCquX4r1tug0nL0ilEpxxkhiJcRekVm7YauhUQEnRav6zCw6xizyMd_iQV2uRfJ3m=w400-h239" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">MAGDALENA POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1974] (Dark Force Entertainment) – This unapologetically lewd German rip-off of <b>THE EXORCIST</b> (1973) from <b>Schoolgirl Report </b>director Walter Boos’ has finally been given a much-needed overhaul. Long unavailable, Dark Force’s new uncut—and properly framed—transfer is quite the revelation. To make up for the lack of extras, an appropriately lurid slipcover was included with the first pressing. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">MAIL ORDER MURDER: THE STORY OF W.A.V.E. PRODUCTIONS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [2020] (Saturn’s Core Audio & Video) – Even if you’re entirely unfamiliar with Gary Whitson’s W.A.V.E. Productions, Ross Snyder’s and William Hellfire’s documentary is sure to entertain. Set-up in 1987, Whitson, a dedicated horror fan, began making SOV (shot-on-video) films, which he churned out quickly and very, very cheaply. Anyone willing to fund one of his productions that had a particular fetish or bizarre request resulted in several far-out films, many of which generally revolved around horror or sleaze. Interviews with many of the actresses associated with W.A.V.E. (including Tina Krause) and an embarrassment of video clips from the over 400 films Whitson produced keep things from ever getting dull. While it may not convert newcomers to appreciate Whitson’s zero-budget efforts any better, it’s a great doc nonetheless and a fantastic debut for Saturn’s Core Audio & Video. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1947] (Criterion Collection) – Set against the seamier side of carnival life, this is the darkest of film noirs, with Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell giving unforgettable performances. Criterion’s new restoration is a noticeable improvement over Fox’s 2005 DVD, further enhancing Lee Garmes' outstanding photography. Thankfully, James Ursini’s and Alain Silver’s audio commentary from that earlier disc is ported over alongside several new interviews and extras. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-kQ9TyHS3kE14nDPOBEPQzUyTt79ertOz-5lDYCaU8INyfNEoM8cMgisw6cAA7b6pGphpgEA2VLbYFC1zHrpA6KVeQ3bVgPD7EV5THHjxe7KJxPcjgMViSQ-O51_mlI_LaQYgjy2wWNC9U9uheboW8qvZrszhsMtnuJDaNwl-YX99EaX2ae8jQM2w=s1920" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-kQ9TyHS3kE14nDPOBEPQzUyTt79ertOz-5lDYCaU8INyfNEoM8cMgisw6cAA7b6pGphpgEA2VLbYFC1zHrpA6KVeQ3bVgPD7EV5THHjxe7KJxPcjgMViSQ-O51_mlI_LaQYgjy2wWNC9U9uheboW8qvZrszhsMtnuJDaNwl-YX99EaX2ae8jQM2w=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">QUEENS OF EVIL</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1970] (Mondo Macabro) – Frustratingly difficult to see for many years in anything approximating a decent English-friendly version, thanks to the continued efforts of MM, Tonino Cervi’s mesmerizing film finally arrives on Blu-ray in spectacular fashion. Aside from a much-improved transfer, the disc also includes several worthwhile extras including an audio commentary from Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger and a wonderful interview with the film’s late star Ray Lovelock. For those lucky enough to snag the 2-disc Limited Edition, a 20-page booklet with writing from Roberto Curti and a DVD of the full unexpurgated 3h20m interview with Lovelock was also included. Read my review at <a href="https://diaboliquemagazine.com/youth-beauty-forever-a-look-at-mondo-macabros-blu-ray-of-queens-of-evil/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Diabolique</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">PRIMETIME PANIC</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1981 – 1983] (Fun City Editions) – Highlighting the works of producers Leonard Hill and Philip Mandelker, this 3-disc box set includes a trio of must-see TV films including Joseph Sargent’s <b>FREEDOM</b> (1981), Roger Young’s New York set <b>DREAMS DON’T DIE</b> (1982), and Jonathan Kaplan’s <b>DEATH RIDE TO OSAKA</b>(1983) starring Jennifer Jason Leigh. Several illuminating audio commentaries from Amanda Reyes, Dino Prosperio, Lars Nilsen and Fun City’s Jonathan Hertzberg add further enjoyment to this already spectacular release. A fantastic set, which gets my highest recommendation!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">RAIDERS OF ATLANTIS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1984] (Severin Films) –Missing-in-action since Prism’s 1983 Beta/VHS videocassette, Ruggero Deodato’s indescribable, crazy mix of sci-fi, post-nuke and ’80s action finally gets a new lease on life via Severin’s beautiful new Blu-ray. As usual, Severin adds plenty of bang for your buck with a couple of on-camera interviews with Deodato and the film’s DP Roberto D’Ettore Piazzoli and an entertaining audio commentary with Vinegar Syndrome’s Brad Henderson and actor Tony King.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">ROBOTRIX</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1991] (88 Films) – Category III superstar Amy Yip headlines this wildly entertaining Hong Kong action film mixing elements from both <b>THE TERMINATOR </b>(1984) and <b>ROBOCOP</b> (1987), martial arts, gore, and a healthy dose of erotica to max out that Category III rating. 88 Films’ Limited Edition Region B Blu-ray contains the uncut film with both English and Cantonese audio options along with several unique features and an 80-page perfect-bound book on the film and Cat III cinema. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig4nNAmKCm6JRlgtXf2kPgKFBGc9YCerriSC0zrDj-ZLtglItQLNsmrS6rBV3LWuKozNrLbZowHNDVkdiAn6FeBSnNw-CGj5RdgpskXOZCKoeH7nF-vSNYUlXPrsj3yoN28aUQw2MEnhKXox8a3P-VMirKPCtoSnrDGMiQUdndXZ7gRYWx6oHVf1jZ=s1330" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1330" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig4nNAmKCm6JRlgtXf2kPgKFBGc9YCerriSC0zrDj-ZLtglItQLNsmrS6rBV3LWuKozNrLbZowHNDVkdiAn6FeBSnNw-CGj5RdgpskXOZCKoeH7nF-vSNYUlXPrsj3yoN28aUQw2MEnhKXox8a3P-VMirKPCtoSnrDGMiQUdndXZ7gRYWx6oHVf1jZ=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US">WEIRD WISCONSIN: THE FILMS OF BILL REBANE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1965 – 1988] (Arrow Video) – Usually relegated to cheap, non-authorized bargain DVDs, most of Bill Rebane’s work has never acquired any sort of respect. While not for everyone, Arrow Video has nonetheless compiled most of the director’s work into a lavishly-produced 4-disc box set, which houses six of his films along with David Cairn’s feature-length documentary <b>WHO IS BILL REBANE?</b> (2021). Of course, as with any box set from Arrow Video, they don’t skimp on the extras, including several newly-produced featurettes, interviews, and <b>Discovering Bill Rebane</b>, a terrific overview of the man’s films from Stephen R. Bissette. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">YEARS OF LEAD: FIVE CLASSIC ITALIAN CRIME THRILLERS, 1973 – 1977</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Arrow Video) - Encompassing a wide array of subgenres, including troubled youths, terrorism, high-octane action, and even a <i>giallo</i>-styled thriller, this staggering, beautifully-packaged 3-disc Blu-ray box set should whet the appetite of anyone looking to branch out into unfamiliar—but highly-rewarding—Eurocult territory. Highly recommended! <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/07/years-of-lead-five-classic-italian.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read review</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS. YOU <i>NEED</i> THESE AS WELL!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp3JFKPl49zH1e1j7X2aLBE6TTQM7ao-9qHplqNBAxtvLA42820L_ZZJI8v4kob8xNJL6tPEPUOpplwxerwW7yx9uHEVAbnGTmVOt9eNNhajxUnx_xf03e0CEmL5BI_JgGrbd835Xd7D9xvICPf65gmMVRo3x4O1n3vyYtLVtF1duduDgQmuJxZ2nC=s1920" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp3JFKPl49zH1e1j7X2aLBE6TTQM7ao-9qHplqNBAxtvLA42820L_ZZJI8v4kob8xNJL6tPEPUOpplwxerwW7yx9uHEVAbnGTmVOt9eNNhajxUnx_xf03e0CEmL5BI_JgGrbd835Xd7D9xvICPf65gmMVRo3x4O1n3vyYtLVtF1duduDgQmuJxZ2nC=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">ALONE IN THE DARK </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">(Scream Factory),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> AN ANGEL FOR SATAN</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films), <b>BACCHANALE SEXUELLES </b>(Le Chat qui Fume),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> BLACK BOOTS, LEATHER WHIP</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> BRINGING UP BABY</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Criterion Collection),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> COLD WAR CREATURES: FOUR FILMS FROM SAM KATZMAN</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE DAIMAJIN TRILOGY</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> DEATH SCREAMS</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> ENDGAME</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> FORGOTTEN GIALLI VOLUME 3</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> FRANCO NOIR</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(The Film Detective),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE FRENCHMAN’S GARDEN</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Mondo Macabro),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> FURIE SEXUELLES / PROSTITUTION CLANDESTINE </b>(Peekarama),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> HE CAME FROM THE SWAMP-THE WILLIAM GREFÉ COLLECTION </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> HOME GROWN HORRORS VOLUME 1</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Vinegar Syndrome),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> HUMAN ANIMALS</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Mondo Macabro),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> IRREVERSIBLE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Indicator),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> MIDNIGHT </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-new-godfathers-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE NEW GODFATHERS</span></a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Cineploit),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE NUN AND THE DEVIL</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(88 Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE PARALLAX VIEW</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Criterion Collection),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SIEGE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> SMUT WITHOUT SMUT: SATANIC HORROR NITE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(AGFA),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> THE TOUGH ONES</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(88 Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <a href="https://diaboliquemagazine.com/nothing-prepared-the-world-for-the-horror-a-look-at-massacre-videos-new-blu-ray-of-toxic-zombies-1980/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">TOXIC ZOMBIES</span></a></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Massacre Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> VENGEANCE</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> TRAIL: FOUR CLASSIC WESTERNS</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Arrow Video),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> WARRIORS OF THE YEAR 2072</b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>(Severin Films),<b style="font-weight: bold;"> ZENABEL</b><b> </b>(Le Chat qui Fume).</span></span></span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-22511231103850419822021-10-26T02:50:00.002-04:002021-10-26T02:50:27.055-04:00THE NEW GODFATHERS - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZuuEdg7ucxDE_7ZTKgLcKbo9ItKFB7s75nUBmXIDa3WPb8zpiw38bYf5_TT14kOosGfu9__c9jPBckxZIQBaHIUOkwT1-MQS2k8LMiHl5mlNDmruJI9LzPjPH7vq8llEWYhvVbXEecw/s1920/1.+Mario+Merola.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZuuEdg7ucxDE_7ZTKgLcKbo9ItKFB7s75nUBmXIDa3WPb8zpiw38bYf5_TT14kOosGfu9__c9jPBckxZIQBaHIUOkwT1-MQS2k8LMiHl5mlNDmruJI9LzPjPH7vq8llEWYhvVbXEecw/w400-h225/1.+Mario+Merola.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Having already partnered with Neapolitan crooner Mario Merola on several Naples-based <i>poliziesco</i> / mafia actioners, director Alfonso Brescia was about to embark on <b><i>I CONTRABBANDIERI DI SANTA LUCIA</i></b> (trans: “The Smugglers of Santa Lucia”, 1979), which, according to early press announcements, promised a much bigger production with location work in New York, Marseilles and Istanbul. However, given Brescia’s usual paucity of anything resembling a decent budget, he and his producer Ciro Ippolito, along with brothers Piero and Mario Bregni of Produzioni Atlas Consorziati (PAC), instead relied on using ‘previously-enjoyed’ footage from earlier PAC productions to give the film its (seemingly) sprawling scope. While most of the Brescia / Merola collaborations were usually intended for strictly domestic consumption, PAC evidently had higher-than-usual expectations for this ‘globe-trotting’ effort, even going so far as to prepare an English-language version for overseas Anglo markets and temptingly retitling the film <b>THE NEW GODFATHERS</b>. Yet, despite its obvious low budget, this is probably one of Brescia’s most accessible forays into <i>cinema napoletana</i>; which, thanks to the folks at Cineploit, <b>THE NEW GODFATHERS</b> has recently made its English-friendly Blu-ray debut in fine style indeed.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ2nyqjBVwEANy7tvlLRPkJpms8qhB_wYEG8XP2kpwbOtzL6gPLg_eJfGibo4YMLyhfiyv4RvQag21wPfBx-yIyEUHbAGUcCYjwn9_8tqHBkNUFpdqJnAyLtJhtJ7Zz050im-7s4JLO8/s1920/2.+Antonio+Sabato.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJ2nyqjBVwEANy7tvlLRPkJpms8qhB_wYEG8XP2kpwbOtzL6gPLg_eJfGibo4YMLyhfiyv4RvQag21wPfBx-yIyEUHbAGUcCYjwn9_8tqHBkNUFpdqJnAyLtJhtJ7Zz050im-7s4JLO8/w400-h225/2.+Antonio+Sabato.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While never straying far from its Italocrime roots, <b>THE NEW GODFATHERS</b> also adheres to the <i>cinema napoletana</i> template quite faithfully. Modelled after the post-WWI Neapolitan ethnic theatre, which was popular among the working class, this obscure subgenre (sometimes referred to as <i>cinesceneggiata</i> or <i>sceneggiata napoletana</i>) featured soap opera-styled scenarios, which usually combined such vital components as love, honour and—of course!—vendetta. In January of ’79, <u>Variety</u> reported on the sudden popularity of such movies: “Cigarette smugglers, the backbone of Naples’ sagging economy, are fast becoming the new antiheroes of Neapolitan cinema.” However, by May of ’79, <u>Variety</u> also reported: “The Neapolitan trend is now reaching its crest…”, even as Ippolito and the Bregni brothers had already committed to a <i>neo-sceneggiata</i> three-picture deal with Merola and Brescia, which for the record also included <b><i>IL MAMMASANTISSIMA</i></b> (1979) and <b><i>IL TUA VITA PER MIO FIGLIO</i></b> (1980).</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hN-mi7OY2fE5Mr8-xmDQnUvG6zL4JnF7GqtOclVVDY0KjddGm3_Wj3H1KwowuohwicjzcYp-vx3Ie0m_HHmP2VsMpNsfcP5XcS1uVtFN4VTPbOyy17MqNuevABfYh7yUwdjvx-F-vMQ/s1920/3.+Explosion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hN-mi7OY2fE5Mr8-xmDQnUvG6zL4JnF7GqtOclVVDY0KjddGm3_Wj3H1KwowuohwicjzcYp-vx3Ie0m_HHmP2VsMpNsfcP5XcS1uVtFN4VTPbOyy17MqNuevABfYh7yUwdjvx-F-vMQ/w400-h225/3.+Explosion.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The lucrative flow of narcotics from the Middle East is jeopardized due to political unrest in Iran. Customs officer Capt. Ivan Radovich (Gianni Garko) believes Naples will be used as a stopover for a large shipment of heroin bound for the U.S. market. Although “highly experienced in the tactics of smuggling”, Radovich enlists the help of Don Francesco Autiero (Mario Merola), a prominent cigarette-runner whose <i>banditi di motoscafi blu</i> (“bandits in blue motorboats”) keep the <i>Guardia di Finanza</i> busy on the choppy shores of Naples. In one of the film’s most impressively-realized sequences, Don Francesco schools Radovich on the strenuous life of the everyday working class (“Here in Naples, smuggling is a profession. A full-time job!”), who are driven to low-level trafficking because (quote) “the law condemns the homeless and jobless.” Earlier in the film, further verisimilitude is achieved via Brescia’s docu-style camerawork as it prowls the overcrowded city streets and ports, whilst an emotional <i>canzone</i>—a key ingredient in most <i>cinema napoletana</i> films—from Merola himself is heard on the soundtrack. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT_zZHzu1MhUHhAf_o7x_TaMvR3y1irw2fhYIzvH8Em9a1RHnP58IHx1fNWPFr3MV5hyZPqD1U-eMvFsfe326BWByE4mw9b9NLbONc7HQ0CC1rT5o_oMwVCPHtQZawdwa8FPJxgK5g5k/s1920/4.+Gianni+Garko.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT_zZHzu1MhUHhAf_o7x_TaMvR3y1irw2fhYIzvH8Em9a1RHnP58IHx1fNWPFr3MV5hyZPqD1U-eMvFsfe326BWByE4mw9b9NLbONc7HQ0CC1rT5o_oMwVCPHtQZawdwa8FPJxgK5g5k/w400-h225/4.+Gianni+Garko.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Don Michele Vizzini (Antonio Sabàto), a big-time underworld financier, is initially approached by Don Francesco and Radovich to help stop the flow of heroin through Naples (“It’s so rare to work with cops. I can’t help feeling a bit strange!”), but unknown to either of them, Vizzini is working in cahoots with the international drug cartel led by the New York faction of the mob. Using his local confectionary factory as a front for dope production and distribution, Vizzini’s candied nuts (no pun intended) are glazed with pure heroin, so when Merola innocently feeds a little neighbourhood girl (Letizia D’Adderio) one of these ‘sugared’ candies, she winds up in the ER from a smack overdose. Upon quickly realizing that Vizzini is behind the heroin-coated confections, Don Francesco sets off for NYC in pursuit of Vizzini…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu41nx-hs_NHkhCv9_uaFFy12SmaVmDGHvGZvLT3QQhzLuuUw36H8LdDXzbgfhqmKS3VUldouhLlgWQTq_EKWahjD3T7e3tMmvwOghElJMTCQZ68uHR5AEGCZmVH9JqcnuN5xmWEYkA0/s1920/5.+The+Meeting.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinu41nx-hs_NHkhCv9_uaFFy12SmaVmDGHvGZvLT3QQhzLuuUw36H8LdDXzbgfhqmKS3VUldouhLlgWQTq_EKWahjD3T7e3tMmvwOghElJMTCQZ68uHR5AEGCZmVH9JqcnuN5xmWEYkA0/w400-h225/5.+The+Meeting.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Before settling in Naples, Brescia’s desperately ambitious film opens with a nearly 12-minute prologue detailing the expansive opium trade as it moves from Tehran to Istanbul. Utilizing grainy stock footage of the Iranian revolution (including shots of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini) and some striking location work taken from Ferdinando Baldi’s earlier—much-superior—gangster pic <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2014/04/cogs-spools-and-12-tape-6.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE SICILIAN CONNECTION</span></a></b> (1972), Brescia does, however, succeed in instilling some production values with several authentically-shot Istanbul locales. As with most of Brescia’s / Merola’s ethnically-slanted crime programmers, Merola is forced to contend with a new breed of professional criminals who are no longer interested in contraband Marlboros. As the film’s heavy, genre fave Sabàto once again reprises his role as one vicious <i>carogna</i> who arrogantly usurps Don Francesco’s territory by killing-off most of his trusted smugglers. But despite the rivalries, it’s the little girl’s accidental overdose that proves to be the final straw, and this leads into a drawn-out revenge scenario that culminates with a helicopter / automobile pursuit through the “outskirts” of New York. Set to a truly cheesy disco theme, this wannabe ‘large-scale’ chase sequence once again recycles significant footage from Baldi’s aforementioned film, which was ‘carefully’ reedited to include Merola, Garko and Sabàto. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5EsJ5UfIdnLIDPaOqw6sto2XEB5kSC8ZM8RxNCSXEkBYdOBzcbmb6heah_VSmimYUU-ebJqvk36L7rfJmcgvTtIgvAPp7LmohDam05svOk-pQFbVM9tkDbP7tYHdqvgHHhayNRunWAs/s1920/6.+Scugnizzo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5EsJ5UfIdnLIDPaOqw6sto2XEB5kSC8ZM8RxNCSXEkBYdOBzcbmb6heah_VSmimYUU-ebJqvk36L7rfJmcgvTtIgvAPp7LmohDam05svOk-pQFbVM9tkDbP7tYHdqvgHHhayNRunWAs/w400-h225/6.+Scugnizzo.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Outside of Merola and Sabàto, the film contains a roster of familiar faces. Bushy-haired Jeff Blynn (erroneously credited here as “Blyn” and fresh from his role in Brescia’s <b><i>NAPOLI… LA CAMORRA SFIDA, LA CITTÀ RISPONDE</i></b> [1979]) plays Salvatore, one of Don Francesco’s most reliable smugglers, who sets-up the initial meeting with Merola and Garko. Later, when Salvatore attempts to elude police, he launches his car onto a series of flatbed cars on an empty train in another elaborate bit of ‘borrowed’ stuntwork, this time lifted from Massimo Dallamano’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2021/07/years-of-lead-five-classic-italian.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">COLT .38 SPECIAL SQUAD</span></a></b> (1976). As the series’ buffoon, Lucio Montanaro also returns as Don Francesco’s pudgy sidekick, who provides all of the film’s tacky one-liners (“These Turkish bazaars are so <i>bizarre</i>!”) and lowbrow comedy, including a brief scene of him getting overly-excited over a bunch of half-naked starlets (including Lorraine De Selle) hanging around Sabàto’s luxurious swimming pool. In a strained if amusing in-joke, Radovich and Gennarino (Marco Girondino), the film’s token <i>scugnizzo</i> (“street kid”), comment on a movie poster seen hanging outside a coffee shop advertising Brescia’s previous Neapolitan soap opera, <b><i>LO SCUGNIZZO</i></b> (1978 – which also co-starred Garko and Girondino!). “Oh, Gianni Garko—must be a good film!” remarks Garko as Radovich but, minutes later, a random passerby (director Brescia himself!), drolly questions the competence of the director! Other bit parts include brief walk-on roles for Edmund Purdom and John Karlsen as a pair of high-ranking narcotics officers; Rick Battaglia and Andrea Aureli appear as NYC mob bosses (their scenes clearly shot in Italy), and Sabriana Siani also appears as the daughter of a New York boss whose ritzy Italian-American wedding sets the stage for Don Francesco’s revenge.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKgUMd7X7haRfV4gmJjKkbxTB-zhsNyKElrFkCFasKIrgbY9TIAli_GtSqfKFOOgZABh96TxLqMHFgBGGvGC07P3Warla1JUN4i5vZhyS7XaVQKXacuDQcjrovlOneJ3DqgrgdQVwh78/s1920/7.+Information.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKgUMd7X7haRfV4gmJjKkbxTB-zhsNyKElrFkCFasKIrgbY9TIAli_GtSqfKFOOgZABh96TxLqMHFgBGGvGC07P3Warla1JUN4i5vZhyS7XaVQKXacuDQcjrovlOneJ3DqgrgdQVwh78/w400-h225/7.+Information.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although released a number of times on foreign VHS videocassettes, including two English releases from the U.K. and Japan on Intermovie and Columbia, respectively, <b>THE NEW GODFATHERS</b> was never released in either the U.S. or Canada in an English-friendly version. A fine-looking anamorphic DVD was eventually released in Italy by Cecchi Gori in 2006, but not surprisingly, it too had no English-language audio options. Cineploit’s new all region “Blu-ray premiere” features a brand new 2K scan, which appears to be taken from the original camera negative and looks terrific. Retaining the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, detail is sharp and colours are rich, but obviously, the film’s grainy stock footage still looks ugly and drab. Thankfully, the DTS-HD 2.0 audio options are provided in German, Italian <i>AND</i> English and is quite robust giving precedence to all the explosions, raucous gunfire and Eduardo Alfieri’s piecemeal score, even if the dialogue sync is, for the most part, imperfect. English and German subtitles are also provided, so the best bet is to watch the film in Italian with English subtitles for the most faithful rendition, but for those that care about such things, the English audio does include several familiar English voice actors such as Richard McNamara, Gregory Snegoff and Larry Dolgin, the latter of which dubs <i>signor</i> Garko. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwy4TI8txgSucguzVFmtJJ9hcp-tHnOy0A__NanKlC4NXUDDAUhLG5sTIqggDqnrAbUnplRnPsQ4JTLWqPxZITN2r2-b8Cn_O8xl3Oa2Op0ZBSS4t9BKxui5uuYulwD8tnbtIAYyEEYR8/s1920/8.+Ambush.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwy4TI8txgSucguzVFmtJJ9hcp-tHnOy0A__NanKlC4NXUDDAUhLG5sTIqggDqnrAbUnplRnPsQ4JTLWqPxZITN2r2-b8Cn_O8xl3Oa2Op0ZBSS4t9BKxui5uuYulwD8tnbtIAYyEEYR8/w400-h225/8.+Ambush.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras include an on-camera interview with writer / producer Ciro Ippolito (11m21s) conducted by Vincenzo Rossini, where he discusses the genesis of the film at PAC and how he had the idea to (quote) “pick up a lot of scenes from the action part shot in the United States” from <b>THE SICILIAN CONNECTION</b> and then “shoot another story and mount this on that.” Other extras include a nicely-detailed photo gallery (1m30s) of posters, <i>locandinas</i>, <i>fotobustas</i> and international video art and the film’s alternate German credit sequence, which is exactly the same save for the title card, <b><i>DIE GROßE KAMPF DES SYNDIKATS</i></b> (trans: “The Great Battle of the Syndicate”). Housed in a fine-looking Mediabook (available is four different variations, which also comes with a 28-page booklet with liner notes from Udo Rotenberg in German and English and a nice double-sided poster), Cineploit’s new Blu-ray of this mindlessly-enjoyable Italocrime film is yet another impressive release in their “Italian Genre Cinema” line, which fans should strongly consider adding to their library. <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cineploit</span></a> currently offers <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/film/products/der-grosse-kampf-des-syndikats-alfonso-brescia-italy-1979-cover-b" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cover B</span></a>, <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/film/products/opium-way-der-grosse-kampf-des-syndikats-alfonso-brescia-italy-1979-cover-c" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cover C</span></a> or <a href="https://cineploit-records-discs.myshopify.com/collections/film/products/the-new-godfathers-alfonso-brescia-italy-1979-cover-d-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cover D</span></a> (Cover A has sold out) or order it from <a href="https://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/new-godfathers-cineploit-le-mediabook-blu-ray-all-region/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>.</span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-33589590383564952342021-07-02T09:09:00.002-04:002023-03-29T00:31:21.464-04:00YEARS OF LEAD: FIVE CLASSIC ITALIAN CRIME THRILLERS (1973-1977)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbgLIVbG3yjXiQiK6BKaA3564GYzRWbfWcUz7YGib0o5t0QKXAM7jUdkfp8T-yh7A6TJGrwwdSKmaY4gStlr2t2Rv2DQE2Hdl8DzLkAjNIiHBEQcdeOM_dvyyyK5-nFxAX61ViMltSP8/s1920/1.+Salerno+Shoots.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbgLIVbG3yjXiQiK6BKaA3564GYzRWbfWcUz7YGib0o5t0QKXAM7jUdkfp8T-yh7A6TJGrwwdSKmaY4gStlr2t2Rv2DQE2Hdl8DzLkAjNIiHBEQcdeOM_dvyyyK5-nFxAX61ViMltSP8/w400-h225/1.+Salerno+Shoots.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span>Even as Italian crime thrillers (or</span><span> </span><i>polizieschi</i><span>, if you prefer the Italian moniker) continue to reach a wider audience outside of Europe, most fans on this side of the Atlantic still associate the genre with the collected works of Umberto Lenzi, Enzo G. Castellari and/or Fernando Di Leo. While there’s no denying the impact of those directors’ works, a number of excellent Eurocrime pictures still remain largely unknown outside the borders of a certain sunny peninsula over on the Continent. Encompassing a wide array of subgenres, including troubled youths, terrorism, high-octane action and even a</span><span> </span><i>giallo</i><span>-styled thriller, Arrow Video have released</span><span> </span><b>YEARS OF LEAD: FIVE CLASSIC ITALIAN CRIME THRILLERS</b><span> </span><span>(1973-1977), a staggering, beautifully-packaged 3-disc Blu-ray box set, which should definitely whet the appetite of anyone looking to branch-out into unfamiliar—but highly-rewarding—territory.</span><span> </span></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGxzVybhkXplGNW5aIKX3e3lQPOQK7weZcenHn3tS44vg-phi-4mv3FLpoyBJVNFd4X72anVfBYLQF9fOuISTjKOP_bCXIlafx7fejWOkWA4em6HuVFC4afssEpZsxwyH29Hq_WxK5NE/s1920/2.+De+Carli+Dallesandro+De+Grassi.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGxzVybhkXplGNW5aIKX3e3lQPOQK7weZcenHn3tS44vg-phi-4mv3FLpoyBJVNFd4X72anVfBYLQF9fOuISTjKOP_bCXIlafx7fejWOkWA4em6HuVFC4afssEpZsxwyH29Hq_WxK5NE/w400-h225/2.+De+Carli+Dallesandro+De+Grassi.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A well-made, thought-provoking social drama, Vittorio Salerno’s <b>SAVAGE THREE</b> (1975) is usually regarded as a <i>poliziesco</i>, simply by virtue of its urban “street” setting and the inclusion of Vittorio’s big brother Enrico Maria Salerno, a distinguished actor—originally known as a leading man in sophisticated comedies—who became inseparable from the genre after his defining performance in Stefano “Steno” Vanzina’s ground-breaking <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-execution-squad-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE EXECUTION SQUAD</span></a></b> (a.k.a. <b>FROM THE POLICE... WITH THANKS</b>, 1971). In the city of Torino (“Turin”), Ovidio Mainardi (former Warhol stud-muffin Joe Dallesandro) and his co-workers Giacomo (Gianfranco De Grassi) and Peppe (Guido De Carli) suffer from the drudgery of the everyday rat-race. While working as a computer technician at a government-run statistics bureau, after Ovidio, curious to see what would happen, purposely overcrowds their shit-strewn cage, he observes a bunch of lab-mice as they tear each other apart (a scene censored by the BBFC for the UK BD release). Pondering whether humans would respond in the same way under similar overcrowded conditions, the presiding scientist responds confidently, “There’s always <i>one</i> who starts biting the others.” After Ovidio and his pals incite a riot at a soccer match later that day, their crime-spree continues unabated, and, in one of the film’s defining moments—shot in super slow-motion—Ovidio sticks a truck driver with a screwdriver during a motoring altercation.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, inspector and ex-Flying Squad member Santagà (Enrico Maria Salerno) is assigned to the ongoing case, and he firmly believes these ‘incidents’ are not politically motivated, as his superiors would have him believe, but merely a result of ordinary people cracking under the strain and stresses of living in modern society (“We’re always under pressure. It might be the stress, the mistreatment,” he surmises). A succession of murder and sexual assault continues for much of the film’s running time, culminating with the abduction and rape of a pair of ‘upper class’ women (Carmen Scarpitta and Ada Pometti). It turns out that one of these victims was the wife of a highly-influential government official, so, at the behest of the deputy minister, the apprehensive police commissioner (Luigi Casellato), offers Santagà a deal: clean things up as <i>quickly</i> and <i>quietly </i>as possible!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7v9kyQB08DN_BgSbLy5ZL2LZLlgahJFnD9WBSdvHxfxNwz3CdvfEqHkXR4zipUt7WHCmFGIk31KY6pNsLRB7tbdQg8yhEA8O6z3J1mvt_Pu1KlgiZtrmcj_5sWesPQI_5ZgcLn9R048/s1920/3.+Truckdriver.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7v9kyQB08DN_BgSbLy5ZL2LZLlgahJFnD9WBSdvHxfxNwz3CdvfEqHkXR4zipUt7WHCmFGIk31KY6pNsLRB7tbdQg8yhEA8O6z3J1mvt_Pu1KlgiZtrmcj_5sWesPQI_5ZgcLn9R048/w400-h225/3.+Truckdriver.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Punctuated by a terrific progressive rock score by Franco Campanino (who also scored Dallesandro’s first foray into Italian crimeslime, Pasquale Squitieri’s superb <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-climber-blu-ray-review_8.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE CLIMBER</span></a></b> [1975]), Vittorio Salerno’s <b>SAVAGE THREE</b> appears to be—on the surface, at least—yet another entry in a short-lived subgenre of mid-’70s Italo ‘youths-run-wild’ films. In spite of their boyish looks, these are not the usual spoiled rich kids with negligent parents unaware what their offspring are up too. Ovidio, Giacomo and Peppe all have regular jobs and ‘normal’ unassuming lives, but are simply <i>bored</i> by the drudgery of it all and looking for some ‘kicks.’ Never fully-explained or expounded upon, the jaded trio’s collective boredom may have been the primary instigator of their initial crime-spree but, in an interesting turn of events, their underlying sadistic streaks are antagonized by the aggressive environment in which they live… just like (symbolism alert!) those desperate lab-mice seen at the start of the film. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Originally released in Italy as <b><i>FANGO BOLLENTE</i></b> (trans: “Seething Swamp”), <b>SAVAGE THREE</b> was barely released outside of Italy in the pre-DVD days (an English dubbed VHS tape was released on the Greek NK Video label), but it did finally garner a <i>superb</i> Region B Blu-ray in 2017 thanks to Camera Obscura. Arrow’s new disc features the same superior transfer, with optimally-balanced colours, strong contrasts, excellent black levels and a nice, consistent amount of natural film grain; in fact, it looks just about <i>perfect</i>! The DTS-HD MA mono Italian audio also sounds perfectly-balanced and clear throughout. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sW2bb033fC4PDkvc7R4IB23O0Uziu1H3ZQp68I3qUpENzzYZdARYwymAr7ejXYBi0QTICtT3vVHMw558vc5r6KNTpO-Tl0IErLuFLmyN-IYaIlKZUkArrQYR1cXQv0cQ7G-XVw94JQI/s1920/4.+Enrico+Maria+Salerno.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sW2bb033fC4PDkvc7R4IB23O0Uziu1H3ZQp68I3qUpENzzYZdARYwymAr7ejXYBi0QTICtT3vVHMw558vc5r6KNTpO-Tl0IErLuFLmyN-IYaIlKZUkArrQYR1cXQv0cQ7G-XVw94JQI/w400-h225/4.+Enrico+Maria+Salerno.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In <b>Rat Eat Rat</b> (39m08s), the first featurette, ported-over from CO’s earlier release, director Vittorio Salerno and actress Martine Brochard discuss how the film came about, as well as discussing the formation of the independent production company Comma 9, which unfortunately only ever produced just this one film. Further topics of discussion includes Goffredo Lombardo’s Titanus distribution company; some of the film’s locations in and around Turin; and the casting of Joe Dallesandro (“I like his somewhat weird face!”). In <b>The Savage One</b> (40m56s), yet another doc ported-over from the CO BD, Severin’s David Gregory interviews Dallesandro in what is essentially a career overview, beginning with his early years working on Andy Warhol pictures, and also covering just about every other facet of Joe’s time working in Europe, including all of his <i>polizieschi</i>(precisely five in total). Unafraid to tell it like it is, Dallesandro even refers to his <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2015/09/season-for-assassins-german-blu-ray.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">SEASON FOR ASSASSINS</span></a></b> (Marcello Andrei, 1975) co-star Martin Balsam as a “knucklehead!” </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWVrhWNREqR_5eDCt93Ws6a89rdkp8zhlFfYVARnbLgjaBc9NHa4gmpQ3c1AIu8LmB2H-deb0ZWQ0U2996-v1KX0mBXcyR9YWvSQpWCK44A4nscdM5Ilc9LB2YG1GChWguStzOFbpwLc/s1920/1.+Security+Guard.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWVrhWNREqR_5eDCt93Ws6a89rdkp8zhlFfYVARnbLgjaBc9NHa4gmpQ3c1AIu8LmB2H-deb0ZWQ0U2996-v1KX0mBXcyR9YWvSQpWCK44A4nscdM5Ilc9LB2YG1GChWguStzOFbpwLc/w400-h225/1.+Security+Guard.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">On the same disc, Mario Imperoli’s rarely-seen <b>LIKE RABID DOGS</b> (1977) is, like <b>SAVAGE THREE</b>, yet another variation of the ‘troubled youth’ (a.k.a. JD / “juvenile delinquent”) film. Following an armed robbery by a pair of hooded men at a soccer match, <i>commissario</i> Paolo Muzi (Jean-Pierre Sabagh) is soon on the case, but this latest robbery turns out to be connected to an ongoing spate of rampant criminality that is plaguing the city. Paolo suspects Tony (Cesare Barro) and his accomplices Rico (Luis de la Torre) and Silvia (Anna Rita Grapputo), but due to Tony’s influential father, Arrigo (Paolo Carlini), he can’t prove anything. Despite having his hands tied, Paolo and Germana (Paola Senatore), his girlfriend and fellow <i>poliziotta</i>, team up in hopes of busting these sociopathic miscreants.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWWJWqSy505cKd7aIuGWGU_FudzZ_enSfiiaHLRl5JsfXICyXuSBYXHPmgu2NRdWtjBc0QdJxYFWp8AOpZUcNeQlhTtkzULGN9VIhUn2eBDi-qy2kQ09GEEAARdUQtVOK8nV4fxQL2F8/s1920/3.+The+Boys.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWWJWqSy505cKd7aIuGWGU_FudzZ_enSfiiaHLRl5JsfXICyXuSBYXHPmgu2NRdWtjBc0QdJxYFWp8AOpZUcNeQlhTtkzULGN9VIhUn2eBDi-qy2kQ09GEEAARdUQtVOK8nV4fxQL2F8/w400-h225/3.+The+Boys.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite the generic synopsis given above, this proves to be quite a departure from the usual Eurocrime films of the period. Director Imperoli (who also helmed the unusually nasty provincial vendetta flick <b><i><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2013/12/cogs-spools-and-12-tape-4.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">CANNE MOZZE</span></a></i></b> [1978], starring Antonio Sabato), chooses to explore many of the genre’s darker aspects, placing a particular emphasis on the politically-motivated upper classes, who, rather than play fair on a level playing field, simply use their financial and political clout to subvert the system to their benefit. When Arrigo, Tony’s equally-unbalanced pops, attempts to give him some much-needed advice (“The ultimate goal in life, as in a game, is <i>victory</i>!”), he essentially allows his son to do as he pleases so long as he gets away with it. Much like Aldo Lado’s brutally-effective thriller <b>NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS</b> (1975), Imperoli flips the dynamic on its head by instead having the affluent so-called ‘elites’ viciously tormenting their perceived social inferiors (i.e., those from the so-called ‘lower classes’) simply <i>because</i> <i>they can</i>, which culminates in a particularly nasty scene that looks like it stumbled in from another film altogether. <b>LIKE RABID DOGS</b>’ gut-punch conclusion is also particularly effective.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_SLU5Qky0YU9WEaqIewekTRqwAti4PobLQTzNfbT7HxkEPfbU8ciERPvR2yYjqFeV8EcykWPi0jdwA9Vk_0l4wjrc6eEIcAgLWOGC4Bk6ovnwQ16DYCpAe0Nh29WEnyhE4Mszjt0JQY/s1920/2.+Motorcycle.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_SLU5Qky0YU9WEaqIewekTRqwAti4PobLQTzNfbT7HxkEPfbU8ciERPvR2yYjqFeV8EcykWPi0jdwA9Vk_0l4wjrc6eEIcAgLWOGC4Bk6ovnwQ16DYCpAe0Nh29WEnyhE4Mszjt0JQY/w400-h225/2.+Motorcycle.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Impressively lensed in Technoscope by Romano Albani (Imperoli’s usual DP of choice), he makes great use of the format with some interesting compositions and moody lighting, which look terrific on Arrow’s new Blu-ray. Utilizing the same restoration as Camera Obscura’s 2014 Region B Blu-ray, this is another top-notch transfer, that still holds up very well after all these years. The DTS-HD MA mono Italian audio also sounds excellent, with Mario Molino’s funky Nico Fidenco-styled soundtrack sounding especially robust and full-bodied. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5qpjMJJ0jkSdZ-Urqw0gfVIXxkv7_EdA0PnioG2J7paEEG5ACz_ZPTPAziDxBswYdDGddpWJ3QgP5LWqBfc5SYKDnb8vC4d7gc1yw4Ds6nm3P0E0HO8Z3qlGgAZKliV7jt5pKx8ezWo/s1920/4.+Home+Invasion.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5qpjMJJ0jkSdZ-Urqw0gfVIXxkv7_EdA0PnioG2J7paEEG5ACz_ZPTPAziDxBswYdDGddpWJ3QgP5LWqBfc5SYKDnb8vC4d7gc1yw4Ds6nm3P0E0HO8Z3qlGgAZKliV7jt5pKx8ezWo/w400-h225/4.+Home+Invasion.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A couple of highly worthwhile extras are included (also taken from CO’s disc), beginning with <b>When a Murderer Dies</b> (51m57s), an in-depth interview with the late Albani and film historian Fabio Melelli, who discuss at some length the (quote) “beloved” Imperoli and his short-but-impressive career. In <b>It’s Not a Time for Tears </b>(32m55s), assistant director Claudio Bernabei (a frequent collaborator of Joe D’Amato) discusses both details about the film in question and also his career in general. <b>LIKE RABID DOGS</b>’ no-holds-barred trailer and a much-appreciated two-track music sample from the film’s rare Italian 45rpm vinyl single are also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The second disc starts things off with the HD debut of Massimo Dallamano’s final film, <b>COLT 38 SPECIAL SQUAD</b> (1976)—he died later that year as the result of a car crash at age 59—an impressive action programmer that provided the template for subsequent imitative ‘Special Squad’ actioners, such as Domenico Paolella’s <b>STUNT SQUAD </b>(1977), which also shared cast members Marcel Bozzuffi and Riccardo Salvino. After so memorably playing Pierre Nicoli, the relentless, cold-hearted hitman in William Friedkin’s <b>THE FRENCH CONENCTION</b> (1971), Bozzuffi made a string of Eurocrime appearances wherein he switched to the ‘right’—make that <i>extreme</i> Right!—side of the law (he eventually slipped back into criminality to play another vicious killer in Lucio Fulci’s ultraviolent <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2014/10/mean-blood.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">CONTRABAND</span></a> </b>[1980]).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4UMmArI6W8E-uhNGpbI932MJ5K8qCfl8xjdMy-7HlcZzCnFsAosAxXKmbks8r7ECeYFFSjusmDhg_By8wsawvFSQdXgjPQKFonN7q_se3gVWj7bmaHB3og0PDQSW-cReIqvoMpG3JIg/s1920/1.+The+Squad.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4UMmArI6W8E-uhNGpbI932MJ5K8qCfl8xjdMy-7HlcZzCnFsAosAxXKmbks8r7ECeYFFSjusmDhg_By8wsawvFSQdXgjPQKFonN7q_se3gVWj7bmaHB3og0PDQSW-cReIqvoMpG3JIg/w400-h225/1.+The+Squad.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The city of Turin is once again the setting for <b>COLT 38 SPECIAL SQUAD</b>. After Inspector Vanni (Bozzuffi) kills his brother during a shootout, a criminal leader known as “The Black Angel” (Ivan Rassimov) swears revenge. In retaliation, Vanni’s wife is subsequently shot dead in full view of their juvenile son. With the District Attorney’s (Armando Brancia) permission, Vanni forms the Special Squad: four crack policemen, under his leadership, given autonomous power by their superiors. Their trademarks are driving motorcycles and—hence the title—powerful .38 Police Special handguns. Meanwhile, The Black Angel and his right-hand man Guido (Antonio Marsina) steal a shipment of dynamite and proceed to plant bombs throughout the city. Demanding a $10-million ransom in uncut diamonds, The Black Angel organizes an exchange enabling Vanni and his ‘SS’ to finally make a move.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Several well-choreographed, fast-paced action sequences are some of the film’s many highlights (including a car driving atop a moving train!), which proves the Special Squad are a force to be reckoned with. However, they soon begin abusing their new-found power (and the tenets of the Geneva Convention) when they employ deadly ‘dum-dum’ bullets that cause maximum internal damage to their unlucky human targets; it’s shoot first, ask questions later. As the Black Angel, Rassimov’s ice-cold character is also not without a sense of humour, albeit as dark as the wings of his celestial namesake. Using a TNT charge detonated via remote control, he disposes of a stool pigeon (Bernardino Emanueli) while the man takes a piss behind a tree. Elsewhere, one of the Angel’s underlings (Franco Garofalo) gets his fingers chopped-off by the slamming door of an accelerating getaway car. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_iinECBpZAV5lndDQL0-BASI2zf-DTNblBNMJyDL3ZmFb3CP69dSUW2EWdJgfxUeS8KJ3VgTnMeMk42ViDoIeJB5gmYbzjXOX8ezVeXgxo6AoqiAzMxc2FHnLCd28IkrnmeX8o31iuU/s2048/QUELLI+DELLA+CALIBRO+38_newsAd.tif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2021" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_iinECBpZAV5lndDQL0-BASI2zf-DTNblBNMJyDL3ZmFb3CP69dSUW2EWdJgfxUeS8KJ3VgTnMeMk42ViDoIeJB5gmYbzjXOX8ezVeXgxo6AoqiAzMxc2FHnLCd28IkrnmeX8o31iuU/w395-h400/QUELLI+DELLA+CALIBRO+38_newsAd.tif" width="395" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">One of the many notable DVD titles from No Shame’s relatively short tenure on the market, Arrow Video’s new 2K restoration is a markedly-improved upgrade in every way; altogether sharper and more finely-detailed, with colours that truly <i>pop</i>, especially during the various nightclub scenes. The LPCM mono audio (included in both Italian <i>and</i>English) really emphasizes all the screeching tires and gunshots, with Stelvio Cipriani’s propulsive score sounding especially spectacular. New wave / disco diva Grace Jones contributes two songs to the film, but no matter which language option you choose, both are—not unexpectedly!—poorly lip-synched.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Several worthwhile extra features are once again re-included from No Shame’s 2006 DVD, including <b>A Special Groove for a Very Special Friend</b> (here retitled as <b>Always the Same Ol’ 7 Notes</b> in the menu [25m48s]), a delightful career-spanning interview wherein late, great maestro Cipriani discusses his time working on Eurocrime films, collaborating with Grace Jones, and how he went about scoring the present title under discussion. In <b>A Tough Guy</b> (9m31s), editor Antonio Siciliano talks about getting his start in the industry and collaborating with much-revered director Dallamano. A video intro with Cipriani which precedes the film, its Italian theatrical trailer and a meagre image gallery round out the extras.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekTb8wiH6d6vJSvPeyaE13CvkQ9Dqsm6ZzNRzoFvG_tkHyMeHgscpMenLOd1nC08sy-YolNq0cIjHbL1xbLlZg-i0Knj0vjh3y1QqaW_V6FZqBPL9PBfpFzLzatMUok1OaBYFcO6YEcw/s1920/1.+Maurizio+Merli.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekTb8wiH6d6vJSvPeyaE13CvkQ9Dqsm6ZzNRzoFvG_tkHyMeHgscpMenLOd1nC08sy-YolNq0cIjHbL1xbLlZg-i0Knj0vjh3y1QqaW_V6FZqBPL9PBfpFzLzatMUok1OaBYFcO6YEcw/w400-h225/1.+Maurizio+Merli.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">Having by then honed his directorial skills on a number of high-profile Italocrimers, director Stelvio Massi embarked on what was to be the second ‘phase’ of his prolific association with <i>polizieschi </i>when he helmed <b>HIGHWAY RACER</b> (1977), the second film on disc two. The first of no less than six actioners he made in conjunction with mighty genre icon Maurizio Merli, Massi substitutes much of the usual nastiness associated with such films, as he and scribe Aldo Capone instead channel most of the film’s energy into a wide range of increasingly risky, over-the-top autobatics, which rarely—if ever!—let up! And yes, <i>signor </i>Merli also appears <i>without</i> his trademark ’stache, which may catch some first time viewers a little off-guard.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ6jzYhwLEr1Y3G4eJGh9ANf4fPZ69Xkmgky3T9ypNjA8JBjHM_Xu8Bge9qcdFIrzeX_MWwfrVOZuQGLqAMsYsII5aNpEloiI4AT3gpwRpBChCgCAao9MfBFcPPHUzYkDTapT6nwdaBs/s1920/4.+Merli+and+Sbargia.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ6jzYhwLEr1Y3G4eJGh9ANf4fPZ69Xkmgky3T9ypNjA8JBjHM_Xu8Bge9qcdFIrzeX_MWwfrVOZuQGLqAMsYsII5aNpEloiI4AT3gpwRpBChCgCAao9MfBFcPPHUzYkDTapT6nwdaBs/w400-h225/4.+Merli+and+Sbargia.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Merli stars as Marco Palma, a wannabe ace wheelman with the <i>Squadra Volonte</i> / “Flying Squad”, a highly-trained unit of the Italian State Police whose main specialty—in this film, at least—is driving <i>real</i> <i>fast</i>. His superior officer, the legendary ex-squad car driver <i>maresciallo</i> Tagliaferri (Giancarlo Sbragia), is understandably growing weary of Palma’s excuses after he totals car after car. Sure enough, in yet another high-speed auto pursuit—this time involving a gang of crash-helmeted armed robbers in customized Citroëns led by the highly-respected French getaway driver Jean-Paul Dossenà (alias “<i>il Nizzardo</i>” / Angelo Infanti)—Palma wrecks his ‘new-and-improved’ car too, same as all the others. Taking the hot-headed Palma under his wing, he personally trains and equips him with his old hopped-up 1960 Ferrari 250 GTO and a fake ID in a ploy to infiltrate Dossenà’s seemingly uncatchable gang…</span></span></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Human performances all-round are solid enough, but not surprisingly of superficial depth and placed strictly secondary behind their non-human (i.e., mechanical) protagonists: the cars! This really is a showcase for the talents of veteran stunt arranger extraordinaire Rémy Julienne (who passed away early into 2021 at the age of 90). At the height of his career as a stunt arranger, Julienne had provided plenty of breakneck metallic mechanized mayhem for such top Eurocrime flicks as Henri Verneuil’s <b>THE BURGLARS</b> (1971), Alberto de Martino’s Canadian-shot-and-set <b>STRANGE SHADOWS IN AN EMPTY ROOM</b> (a.k.a. <b>BLAZING MAGNUMS</b> [1976]) and Maurizio Lucidi’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/01/street-people-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">STREET PEOPLE</span></a></b> (1976). In <b>HIGHWAY RACER</b>, frenetic and at times sloppily-executed stunts endow action with a realistic tone, including a logistically-impressive sequence that has Julienne driving (or rather tumbling end over end!) down the Spanish steps outside of Rome’s Trinità dei Monti church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaDkaIqWv5suyA0rgdrtHcJJGRIpkMvZPXjF5oWwQNYEX03cwIF0w-PFSLe1U3DBMFI_DcuwuWPqmfoieOc8GkTBsJHX5ySjTi6F5twsPWe5ts5eY1BVwAd-ya4sMK6ypRhqypKpYLNc/s1920/5.+Car+tumbling.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaDkaIqWv5suyA0rgdrtHcJJGRIpkMvZPXjF5oWwQNYEX03cwIF0w-PFSLe1U3DBMFI_DcuwuWPqmfoieOc8GkTBsJHX5ySjTi6F5twsPWe5ts5eY1BVwAd-ya4sMK6ypRhqypKpYLNc/w400-h225/5.+Car+tumbling.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While far from his grittiest or best <i>poliziesco</i> (that honour would be reserved for <b>EMERGENCY SQUAD</b> [1974]), the present film’s lighter tone and almost playful approach to the material clearly demonstrated that lowest-common-denominator smash’n’crash action was undeniably its prime selling point, but it also proved Massi’s versatility as a director. <b>HIGHWAY RACER</b> is technically most accomplished, with enough inventive camerawork (it took two cinematographers to capture Julienne’s chaotic stunts) to keep things fresh and exciting for each and every elaborate chase sequence. Given the enormous impact of Merli’s previous successes in such prime Eurocrimers as Umberto Lenzi’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-tough-ones-blu-ray-review_19.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE TOUGH ONES</span></a></b> (1976), his appearance herein is also a bit of an anomaly, as the atypically clean-shaven, youthful-looking upstart whose only interest is to become the most skilled driver in the entire police force and then nab—or perhaps just outdrive—that gentleman bandit, <i>il Nizzardo</i>. </span></span></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Outside Italy, Massi’s film probably got its biggest exposure in Japan, where it was released onto Japanese Betamax/VHS videocassette by Pony Canyon as “FERRARI FALCON” (the Anglo translation of its Japanese title). Released in 2020 as part of their long-running Italian Genre Cinema Collection, Camera Obscura’s all-region Blu-ray was yet another absolutely <i>gorgeous</i> release, which is thankfully preserved on Arrow’s new disc. Boasting a beautifully-detailed and colourful image, with no digital enhancement of any sort, Arrow have, unlike the earlier CO disc, seen fit to include both Italian <i>and</i> English LPCM Italian mono audio options. A nice added touch, indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgynAHJX6OLxefkIEnYkP5z6PVD3xrWcPI3w-5oIRgkvZ4rGTu_h6UO2BeAHkhIxGgXZk8h71aIh9PuIghFoRSGMTswqB2LQ2QaYo_48bdUC4pbyIfsc0rwhUJ_39TBXWy6qiiWlwgegI/s1920/6.+Lilli+Carati.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgynAHJX6OLxefkIEnYkP5z6PVD3xrWcPI3w-5oIRgkvZ4rGTu_h6UO2BeAHkhIxGgXZk8h71aIh9PuIghFoRSGMTswqB2LQ2QaYo_48bdUC4pbyIfsc0rwhUJ_39TBXWy6qiiWlwgegI/w400-h225/6.+Lilli+Carati.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The featurette <b>Faster Than a Bullet</b> (19m43s), a superb interview with Roberto Curti, author of the indispensable <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/italian-crime-filmography-1968-1980/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><u>Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980</u> </span></a>(McFarland, 2013) has also been carried over from CO’s disc. He talks about the filmmakers’ attempts to make a film as a (quote) “detachment from the news stories”; the film’s original aborted ending when one of Julienne’s stunts didn’t quite work out; Brigadiere Armando Spatafora, the real <i>poliziotto</i> <i>sprint</i> on which Merli’s character was based; Massi’s (quote) “exciting use of the camera”; as well as a number of the film’s many cast members, including Sbarigia’s (quote) “fatherly role” and Lilli Carati’s rather nondescript part as Merli’s girlfriend, Francesca. Another brief image gallery is also included.</span></span></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">Treading much </span>the same territory as Elio Petri’sOscar-winning <b>INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION</b> (1970)—including such themes as the abuse of power and the divisive socio-economical strata of society—disc three begins with <span lang="EN-US">Vittorio Salerno’s </span>remarkably tense and entertaining thriller <b>NO,</b> <b>THE CASE IS HAPPILY RESOLVED</b> (1973), which focuses primarily on the power<i>less</i>: a ‘lower-class’ citizen, who, through no fault of his own, gets caught up in a murder investigation. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XS-jf95Ybhge-1-ZiFlH9sA0PTKZZxboSGB8PP-u78KhGi45VO74LBUR7W77GA3iGHP2COY1A6n1lwvKMN-5fHKt3nsrWNGLF2QpI72u-kjn1qKXuGjRyRbEzD8e3JwrXbn1wBy9-B4/s1920/1.+Desperation.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XS-jf95Ybhge-1-ZiFlH9sA0PTKZZxboSGB8PP-u78KhGi45VO74LBUR7W77GA3iGHP2COY1A6n1lwvKMN-5fHKt3nsrWNGLF2QpI72u-kjn1qKXuGjRyRbEzD8e3JwrXbn1wBy9-B4/w400-h225/1.+Desperation.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While out fishing at Lake Bracciano just north of Rome, Fabio Santamaria (Enzo Cerusico) happens to witness the brutal murder of a woman and, in an incredibly nerve-wracking moment, merely stands there, frozen into immobility like a deer caught in the headlights, as he and the murderer make eye-contact for what seems like an eternity. Following an equally-intense drive back to Rome, the murderer in question turns out to be Eduardo Ranieri (Riccardo Cucciolla), a well-respected schoolteacher. Understandably anxious and disturbed by what he has seen, unwitting eyewitness Santamaria chooses not to go directly to the police. Instead however, unfortunately for him, Ranieri the actual culprit beats him to it, implicating Santamaria as the murderer. This fabricated accusation reduces the innocent man to a state of utter panic as he tries to cover up his tracks and stay out of reach of the long arm of the law… </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiztsyuzWiDDcdBTou8iKDssLH7iFJQMlDqB1TTqz8BplqQYfhCYXShcvyAwPvC_CTx9tuEruMTXirHNyr_t-lFjBGlm1Fom98BkBBvvdU671LmimNpOhhVbDR1C-bIxOxdXz2Boh2Us/s1920/2.+Enrico+Maria+Salerno.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiztsyuzWiDDcdBTou8iKDssLH7iFJQMlDqB1TTqz8BplqQYfhCYXShcvyAwPvC_CTx9tuEruMTXirHNyr_t-lFjBGlm1Fom98BkBBvvdU671LmimNpOhhVbDR1C-bIxOxdXz2Boh2Us/w400-h225/2.+Enrico+Maria+Salerno.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Right from the get-go, this is an absolutely riveting thriller, which not only takes elements from many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films (i.e., <b>THE WRONG</b> <b>MAN</b> [1956] or <b>NORTH BY NORTHWEST</b> [1959]), but also incorporates fundamental aspects of both the <i>giallo</i> and <i>polizieschi</i>. Even though it does feature a hair-raising car chase from Rome’s Termini Station as Santamaria tries in vain to catch a bus through the windy streets of Rome, director Salerno is more concerned with exploring the flawed and equally-corrupt so-called ‘justice’ system with its societal profiling and the authorities’ unwavering commitment to simply have the case, as per the title, “happily resolved” by checking all the proper boxes and balancing the stats. During this time, a seasoned and highly-influential reporter, informally referred to as “<i>don</i> Peppino” (Enrico Maria Salerno), is also conducting his own investigation after a few questionable meetings with Ranieri, and he is convinced that everything <i>isn’t</i> as it might appear to be.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeEBufntpauCqG1QwTDCRSBo1T3weFXXxkqWSNxnLBjHMO9I6tvQwtFquWfLCt2HgGfaHb0n8gQ_6jYqvIWe-r_VNgg8RNydP5kPr5h83P3tlfhUD8bH7efDmmmw_ImtJHxJjop_zZbI/s1920/3.+Enzo+Cerosico.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeEBufntpauCqG1QwTDCRSBo1T3weFXXxkqWSNxnLBjHMO9I6tvQwtFquWfLCt2HgGfaHb0n8gQ_6jYqvIWe-r_VNgg8RNydP5kPr5h83P3tlfhUD8bH7efDmmmw_ImtJHxJjop_zZbI/w400-h225/3.+Enzo+Cerosico.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Despite the star-status of Riccardo Cucciolla, who won numerous accolades and awards for his role as anarcho-commie accused murderer Nicola Sacco in Giuliano Montaldo’s <b>SACCO & VANZETTI</b> (1971), it is popular actor Enzo Cerusico who carries the entire present film squarely on his shoulders, delivering an affecting performance of a depth and believability that just about outshines his fellow highly-regarded cast members. Usually relegated to playing ‘good guy’ roles, Cucciolla is also topnotch in his portrayal as the morally-conflicted and guilt-ridden murderer, who not only knows full-well that he has the upper hand, but is also continuously tempted by his affliction to murder again; it’s a wonderfully-nuanced performance filled with regret, sorrow and even all-out malevolence. Aside from the two central performances, which dominate the bulk of the film, Vittorio’s older bro Enrico Maria also adds immeasurably to the film as the “seen-it-all” ornery newshound, who, after all his years of experience at ferreting-out the truth, knows when something’s amiss. In what would typically be a stereotypical throwaway part, even French-born female lead Martine Brochard as Santamaria’s distraught wife contributes a great deal of pathos, further accentuating her husband’s ever-escalating torment, confusion and frustration.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYVczP2t6rgRn1ALYVIFiMtbbnKkc4pcEzoXY9sXAvBG5egHIsKgFozj7DGBwuRpxlP5lTmipLghK_cdQ3GqVXeddL1Sr0NxZb_nl9_4MDQDOzE7zkzYLGWV-1g9ycfameBLmxOJnF5Q/s1920/4.+Riccardo+Cucciolla.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYVczP2t6rgRn1ALYVIFiMtbbnKkc4pcEzoXY9sXAvBG5egHIsKgFozj7DGBwuRpxlP5lTmipLghK_cdQ3GqVXeddL1Sr0NxZb_nl9_4MDQDOzE7zkzYLGWV-1g9ycfameBLmxOJnF5Q/w400-h225/4.+Riccardo+Cucciolla.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Expertly-lensed by veteran DP Marcello Masciocchi, <b>NO,</b> <b>THE CASE IS HAPPILY RESOLVED</b> looks absolutely <i>stunning</i> on Arrow’s new disc, which is once again taken from CO’s immaculate 2016 restoration. Not only is this the long-unseen director’s cut of the film with its original—far more effective—ending (which continues to resonate long after the end-credits roll), but this transfer features excellent detail and bold, naturalistic colours, whereas the DTS-HD MA Italian mono audio likewise offers nothing to complain about. For the record, Arrow Video's disc contains the film's "happy" ending, but the film's original ambiguous ending is included as a bonus. The biggest extra is a 40-minute featurette entitled <b>Mother Justice</b> (40m36s), which contains interviews with director Salerno and actress Martine Brochard, who talk candidly about all sorts of terrific facts related to the film’s origins and production. The Italian theatrical trailer and a brief image gallery are also included. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Arrow Video’s exhaustive set finishes off in fine style beginning with Will Webb’s <b>Poliziotteschi: Violence and Justice in the Years of Lead</b> (20m17s), a superb video essay about the differing Eurocrime subgenres, with a particular emphasis on the films included herein, plus a thick 60-page book featuring detailed essays from the likes of Kat Ellinger, Troy Howarth, Michael Mackenzie, Rachael Nisbet and James Oliver. This is a stunning, must-own collection, which comes highly recommended!</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-84528474152160081922021-04-19T17:17:00.000-04:002021-04-19T17:17:40.945-04:00DEATH PROMISE - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7zdZCu5_i08tvyuQxU2rCaoqzYezIoJPWQGyivyy-9W4viYc-r5aFMICHsdCEhHV8nv1xmt4TDrUmIAB5m-dODzIztE35oiv1G162X4SMDr88v7IvgYCjL7nbz40suJQnqju0CYf8g0/s1920/1.+Charles+Bonet.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7zdZCu5_i08tvyuQxU2rCaoqzYezIoJPWQGyivyy-9W4viYc-r5aFMICHsdCEhHV8nv1xmt4TDrUmIAB5m-dODzIztE35oiv1G162X4SMDr88v7IvgYCjL7nbz40suJQnqju0CYf8g0/w400-h225/1.+Charles+Bonet.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The nutty theme song by Opus gets thing rolling right off the bat for Robert Warmflash’s <b>DEATH PROMISE</b> (1978), a lowly if highly-compelling urban action film, which not only capitalizes on the popularity of the then-still-ongoing global martial arts craze of the time, but also another staple exploitation subgenre of the seventies: the vigilante flick.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm-RfvcDOWIUROkWeeaHyqPmGMwS3Z-Maim3edGaPEt9sAqyFpXeuPMatV0R46_z88AWzvwbBRdwfRfUQGrV3JgCeI4IVPn8uvqAGz2krIRviAFbbDjPE1Q9cmbOv9ovg8NsTh9biFas/s1920/2.+Louie.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm-RfvcDOWIUROkWeeaHyqPmGMwS3Z-Maim3edGaPEt9sAqyFpXeuPMatV0R46_z88AWzvwbBRdwfRfUQGrV3JgCeI4IVPn8uvqAGz2krIRviAFbbDjPE1Q9cmbOv9ovg8NsTh9biFas/w400-h225/2.+Louie.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In-between his intense MA training sessions down at the local dojo, Charley Roman (Charles Bonet) simultaneously wages war against a number of wealthy slumlords in his dodgy New York City neighbourhood. It seems the predatory Iguana Realty Corporation is bent on evicting all the current residents from their seedy ghetto tenement properties in order to erect much-pricier buildings in their place. Unfortunately for said corrupt company, the laws are set-up to protect (quote) “those welfare people,” so the criminal capitalists resort to hiring cheap muscle in cheap dress-shirts and flared slacks to continually harass their tenants, which includes everything from shutting-off their utilities to unleashing rats inside the buildings. Assisting in the fight is our high-kicking hero’s sparring partner Speedy (Speedy Leacock), along with Charley’s hot-tempered father, Louie (Bob O’Connell) who, interspersed between doing his best Jimmy Cagney impersonations, also gets to engage in some sloppy street-fightin’.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWohE1mC2eGfK0-x9_pOop-f10Q6PEscmfiz1KPGXkOhqsUcUheQZdXLBpEggNbCqlVYM5b1-vpyft12329YFVorZ38_cDEDUgCgkK_NSS6Y87XxDnH-UalZ8P0-4LDnkl1CSQxBjW6Q/s1920/3.+Street-fightin%2527.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWohE1mC2eGfK0-x9_pOop-f10Q6PEscmfiz1KPGXkOhqsUcUheQZdXLBpEggNbCqlVYM5b1-vpyft12329YFVorZ38_cDEDUgCgkK_NSS6Y87XxDnH-UalZ8P0-4LDnkl1CSQxBjW6Q/w400-h225/3.+Street-fightin%2527.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When Louie is found dead after having threatened Alden (Vincent Van Lynn), one of the co-financiers of this little (quote) “landlord syndicate,” Charley vows revenge, and with the help of Shibata (Thompson Kao Kang), his teacher at the dojo, he travels to the orient to continue his MA studies under the world-renowned Master Ying (Anthony Lau). Following this (quote) “advanced training,” Charley returns to NYC to honour his murdered father’s memory. However, in a highly-implausible turn of events, everything <i>isn’t</i> as it seems…</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVuiawCEux-kMWdEy-SDpElFD7vLSsoTi_tsT4x80pPvNJKZiDBlK9LXtqYdKQHVlp8Vp9oBS6iftiwnpzhLLPRM7eZGq6uob__b0ePTSiirgfVqB9OcD1d6zblFDYCqY4t4pXJpmluo/s1920/4.+More+fightin%2527.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVuiawCEux-kMWdEy-SDpElFD7vLSsoTi_tsT4x80pPvNJKZiDBlK9LXtqYdKQHVlp8Vp9oBS6iftiwnpzhLLPRM7eZGq6uob__b0ePTSiirgfVqB9OcD1d6zblFDYCqY4t4pXJpmluo/w400-h225/4.+More+fightin%2527.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Throughout the ’70s, cinema screens were flooded with all types of so-called ‘chop-socky’ movies as every small-time distributor imported anything and everything with even a passing resemblance to Robert Clouse’s smash hit <b>ENTER THE DRAGON</b> (1973). Bruce Lee’s final film, <b>THE GAME OF DEATH</b> (1978) is referenced immediately herein as Charley and Speedy are seen running through the streets of NYC in bright yellow tracksuits, similar to the one worn by Lee in that film. As Alden’s men desperately try in vain to forcibly vacate the (quote) “rat-infested tenements,” Louie educates both Charley and Speedy in the shady complexities of ‘dummy corporations’ and even shares some anecdotes from his boxing days, when one of his opponents had been no less than the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson! When Louie refuses to accept a pay-off (“You can take your polite bribe and shove it up your polite <i>ass</i>!”), his stubborn resolve to resist ‘The Man’ gets him killed. Even after visiting Master Ying, where Charlie learns a (quote) “old Japanese assassin trick,” most of his other special—as per the title—‘death promises’ simply seem like much the same punches and kicks seen earlier in the film, although the climactic battle is long, drawn-out and entertaining as hell!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI_nd2b7u7O3GkDyNJ_ON4uQqG0EEJNSlbiqJKs6U7OAyselN3UVZ_9C2gRN2EPmON2eT1UCWVnv_0B_GuYeqTOlK4MTl3i2IM1K79gMFYdc7GYAxSY0YnRAXsWqdZ5f6nDCZPtZuPlo/s1920/20210416060601637.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI_nd2b7u7O3GkDyNJ_ON4uQqG0EEJNSlbiqJKs6U7OAyselN3UVZ_9C2gRN2EPmON2eT1UCWVnv_0B_GuYeqTOlK4MTl3i2IM1K79gMFYdc7GYAxSY0YnRAXsWqdZ5f6nDCZPtZuPlo/w400-h225/20210416060601637.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Previously released in 2014 by Code Red, their DVD featured an excellent anamorphic transfer of the film, which was crisp, colourful and very robust given the scrappy nature of the film. Extras were limited to the film’s trailer along with several others for titles in CR’s catalogue. Featuring a new 2K scan taken from the film’s original camera negative, the film looks even better on Vinegar Syndrome’s new Blu-ray, with an excellent, textured film-like image. The DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 also sounds very crisp, clean and clear, which helps one better appreciate all the customary hyper-exaggerated sound effects heard during the numerous fight scenes. Optional English SDH subtitles are also provided. Unlike CR’s relatively bare-bones disc, VS have included <b>9000ft in 90 minutes</b> (16m06s), a highly-informative on-camera interview with the film’s editor, Jim Marcovic. He discusses his early start in the business cutting commercials in the early ’70s, how he got involved with several independent producers, plus how <b>DEATH PROMISE</b> came about. He also talks at-length about the difficulty of cutting the film because of the poorly-blocked fight scenes (some of which had to be reshot as a result), the colourful cast members, as well as dealing with the tough, by-the-book NYC unions. The film’s very entertaining trailer and a nice still gallery (1m55s) of ad-mats and production photos finish-off the extras. Any self-respecting exploitation movie junkie will love this. That’s a <i>promise</i>! Order the Limited Edition Blu-ray <a href="https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/frontpage/products/death-promise" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></div><p></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-69040611232969499372021-04-14T17:12:00.000-04:002021-04-14T17:12:34.878-04:00HOUSE OF CRUEL DOLLS - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKUVm3otva1WIGwhI-p3AzjCSUiKFLzpvTU0odwFDDtbmsLc6NZ2r6F7shiwRKRnKMRdNq77TI5Y9LkeyBMHCspKBBUMMw3rduqj2PL6YvXLynlV6Q7977BNjPiXB2qL2UnQSh8mj4Ps/s1920/1.+Jack+Taylor.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKUVm3otva1WIGwhI-p3AzjCSUiKFLzpvTU0odwFDDtbmsLc6NZ2r6F7shiwRKRnKMRdNq77TI5Y9LkeyBMHCspKBBUMMw3rduqj2PL6YvXLynlV6Q7977BNjPiXB2qL2UnQSh8mj4Ps/w400-h225/1.+Jack+Taylor.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Barely released in this digital age, Pierre Chevalier’s <b>HOUSE OF CRUEL DOLLS</b> (1974) was produced by the budget-conscious specialists at Eurociné, a still-active French distribution and production company based out of Paris, who are probably best-known for producing Jean Rollin’s & Julián Esteban’s aquatic zombie snoozer <b>ZOMBIE LAKE</b>(1980) and a number of Jess Franco films, including <b>The AWFUL DR.</b> <b>ORLOF</b> (1962) and <b>FEMALE VAMPIRE</b> (1973, a.k.a. <b>EROTIKILL</b>).</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTzTgNtspiSmUOjYJg18Dh8vET6Qxeyrm7XchnvGGAu_O_TcbvsYoenoaODenIPbdcnhKY0DWS3LZO7xJMCru1T7jtSq6bdYKY8YhGOc0tms03XF2rh4Fsh8q3VY0sk8clKDhyOzV6YU/s1920/2.+Magda+Mundari.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTzTgNtspiSmUOjYJg18Dh8vET6Qxeyrm7XchnvGGAu_O_TcbvsYoenoaODenIPbdcnhKY0DWS3LZO7xJMCru1T7jtSq6bdYKY8YhGOc0tms03XF2rh4Fsh8q3VY0sk8clKDhyOzV6YU/w400-h225/2.+Magda+Mundari.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Better known as <b>The HOUSE OF THE LOST DOLLS</b> to the few Eurotrash cineastes that have actually seen it, this is one of Eurociné’s notorious patchwork efforts starring Silvia Solar and Sandra Jullien (from Jean Rollin’s <b>The SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRES</b> [1971] fame), which utilizes redubbed footage from Gianpaolo Callegari’s <b>AGENT SIGMA 3: MISSION GOLDWATHER</b> (1967), an Italian spy flick also starring Solar (which undoubtedly accounts for all the reused footage) and Franco regular Jack Taylor as the titular agent. Of course, this slapdash bit of cinematic manipulation is nothing new for Eurociné, whose alternate version of Jess Franco’s <b>A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD</b> (1971) contains numerous added reshoots (courtesy of Jean Rollin) of zombie mayhem not seen in Franco’s original edit. Probably one of their most notorious fusions of sleaze is Alain Deruelle’s <b>JAILHOUSE</b> <b>WARDRESS</b> (1979), which utilizes newly-shot footage cobbled together around redubbed scenes from Jess Franco’s <b>BARBED WIRE</b> <b>DOLLS</b> (1975) and Alain Payet’s <b>HELLTRAIN</b> (1977)!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7sk5WVkkYyzOaVkKCm5WRWXEYNGN3dxolf6LvKjsTJrfFCeoRKQejAu-cionfyPu9Zbs7FMDPc7Prob59H2Ghxm3Wko0YrbwbOueA7UECkodUUZeRzi9U_oJldLTWTXDgckIYAP1YEc/s1920/3.+Silvia+Solar.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7sk5WVkkYyzOaVkKCm5WRWXEYNGN3dxolf6LvKjsTJrfFCeoRKQejAu-cionfyPu9Zbs7FMDPc7Prob59H2Ghxm3Wko0YrbwbOueA7UECkodUUZeRzi9U_oJldLTWTXDgckIYAP1YEc/w400-h225/3.+Silvia+Solar.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Like most of these quickly thrown-together efforts, the minimal storyline is usually lost among a variety of differing footage and redubbed dialogue, which strives desperately to make some semblance of coherence; <b>HOUSE OF CRUEL DOLLS </b>is no exception. Opening against the supposed “House of Cruel Dolls” (the same house from Jean Rollin’s zombie reshoots, <i>and</i> the very same house from the opening of Jess Franco’s <b>GOLDEN TEMPLE AMAZONS</b> [1986], no less!), nudity fills the screen from the opening shot as Yvette (Magda Mundari) accepts “a date” with Mr. Gaston (Raymond Schettino), but he actually wants to bust her out of this prison/brothel, even though she has abandoned (quote) “all hope”. This way-out-in-the-woods, clandestine destination of sin can only be accessed via a very bumpy dirt road – which doesn’t allow our escapees to drive very quickly! – and then, in a mind-boggling bit of idiocy, our couple decide to celebrate their successful escape with a little hanky-panky in the woods. They eventually make it to a lowly police station where, via flashbacks, Yvette proceeds to recount her story to a highly doubtful police inspector. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta3hNe4B9aSHoOLDJ6mA6C_yY0QwDJXdEJumYyAi8cXYAMBgitkK7Fx5jtfte6nwWOSdcjJALVw-_lrt5Q4gHf4bznlTqJ39eA8qNxbKnduX38YFFr5TdTuG0D8oV3BUx57G-zBr2Pc8/s640/La+maison+des+filles+perdues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="528" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta3hNe4B9aSHoOLDJ6mA6C_yY0QwDJXdEJumYyAi8cXYAMBgitkK7Fx5jtfte6nwWOSdcjJALVw-_lrt5Q4gHf4bznlTqJ39eA8qNxbKnduX38YFFr5TdTuG0D8oV3BUx57G-zBr2Pc8/w330-h400/La+maison+des+filles+perdues.jpg" width="330" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It seems Mr. Raski (Olivier Mathot), along with his accomplice Sylvia (Solar), is running a white slavery syndicate where he conveniently gets to sample the goods. The women are then put in large wicker baskets and shipped to the titular location run by Madame Zozo (Gillian Gill), but once again, are repeatedly taken advantage of by Raski’s henchmen, led by Eurociné stock player ‘Yul Sanders’ / Claude Boisson. Much of the film unfolds through a seemingly endless parade of women being groped in grungy garages and the ship’s cargo hold, which does nothing to enhance the film’s already flimsy plotline. With the help of Yvette’s testimony, some mysterious government agency gets involved and recruits Special Agent Jack (Jack Taylor from <b>SIGMA 3</b>) to help infiltrate this seedy organization, which takes him from Tangiers to Barcelona. Of course, all of jack’s scenes are taken from the aforementioned Callegari film, which is mostly relegated to car chases and cut-rate punch-outs, while the unscrupulous Sylvia kills a snooping woman with poisonous fingernails. Then, much like Bela Lugosi was hilariously “doubled” by Tom Mason in Edward D. Wood, Jr.’s <b>PLAN 9</b> <b>FROM OUTER SPACE</b> (1959), Jack Taylor is also doubled by some anonymous guy in a few of the sleazy, nudity-filled ’70s scenes.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah-HGzIWhlq1BPV2ZOzPUr9CftdPsBe3sadu9gQZzUb-jQ0tgOHaMkMFIT9WLohsu7LZXtCqrQh1Vx0DggCPS7HatmFSYLWhYS5ogBvxV_zBsd3EY0cSoBFwE0Zdhz4wOCuum6wDZkwE/s1920/4.+Jack+Taylor.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah-HGzIWhlq1BPV2ZOzPUr9CftdPsBe3sadu9gQZzUb-jQ0tgOHaMkMFIT9WLohsu7LZXtCqrQh1Vx0DggCPS7HatmFSYLWhYS5ogBvxV_zBsd3EY0cSoBFwE0Zdhz4wOCuum6wDZkwE/w400-h225/4.+Jack+Taylor.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After getting some solid intel from Barcelona about that mysterious cargo ship, the case is reassigned to Magda (Sandra Jullien), who ends up in Raski’s office with promises of a luxurious getaway, but is instead drugged and seduced on Raski’s office floor. Like the other girls, she too ends up being raped in the ship’s cargo hold in yet another protracted, nudity-filled scene. Eventually, Magda manages to escape after karate-chopping Sylvia, and then Jack shows up for a shoot-out on the docks as the film clumsily moves between <b>SIGMA 3: MISSION GOLDWATHER</b> and Chevalier’s newly-shot footage with Jullien.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Director Pierre Chevalier (sometimes credited as ‘Peter Knight’) is probably best-known on these shores for his hokey, invisible woolly-monster movie <b>The INVISIBLE DEAD</b> (1970) and his cheap Sybil Danning action film, <b>PANTHER SQUAD</b> (1984). Like most of Eurociné’s output in the ’70s, it’s incredibly cheap-looking, with harsh lighting and flat photography, this time courtesy of Franco regular Gerard Brissaud, unlike Eurociné’s usual stock DP, Raymond Heil. Incidentally, Heil went on to shoot ‘John O’Hara’ / José Jara’s similar-sounding <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/07/oasis-of-lost-girls-dvd-review_22.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">OASIS OF LOST GIRLS</span></a></b> (1982, a.k.a. <b>POLICE DESTINATION OASIS</b>), which also used many of this film’s sleazy sequences! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Originally released on Dutch PAL videocassette (courtesy of EVC) in English with Dutch subtitles under its original export title <b>THE HOUSE OF THE LOST</b> <b>DOLLS</b>, the film made its digital debut in 2006 thanks to Austria’s XT Video. Although marketed under its German release title <b><i>DAS SCHIFF</i></b> <b><i>DER GEFANGENEN FRAUEN</i></b> (“The Ship of Imprisoned Women”), the print itself sported the film’s alternate, and rather nonsensical, English language export title <b>POLICE MAGNUM</b> <b>84</b>. Unfortunately, XT’s disc only contained German and French language audio options and a smattering of extras, including the film’s original theatrical trailer, alternate video credits and a small still gallery. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN1clSeHnukuQhddgG9XK9GJ-ZAOo1r8__PS3F4RAfm4M7ro56pVP9I7TZTxVL_FTyIvWZhdYybHn9QNgFtc1REqnMWpbaeRD8Hf_CPg2wOY07nBxA-PyEgIlR97nmB26poI2TGlZWeU/s1920/5.+Olivier+Mathot.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN1clSeHnukuQhddgG9XK9GJ-ZAOo1r8__PS3F4RAfm4M7ro56pVP9I7TZTxVL_FTyIvWZhdYybHn9QNgFtc1REqnMWpbaeRD8Hf_CPg2wOY07nBxA-PyEgIlR97nmB26poI2TGlZWeU/w400-h225/5.+Olivier+Mathot.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As part of their on-going Eurociné Collection, Charles Band’s Full Moon have given this little-seen sleaze opus an unexpected HD debut, which is a vast improvement over XT’s earlier DVD. This time featuring Italian credits (hence the film’s curious re-title yet again!), the transfer, which is (quote) “remastered from the original negative” looks quite good given the inconsistencies of the varying footage, and while it certainly isn’t on par with some of the other Eurociné Blu-rays on the market (Kino Lorber’s <b>ZOMBIE LAKE</b> comes to mind), everything herein looks well-defined with some surprisingly rich colours. Unlike XT’s non-English friendly disc, English is the sole audio option (in either a DD 2.0 or DD 5.1) this time around, which also sounds quite good given the wonky nature of most Eurociné Anglo dubbing tracks. Extras are limited to a handful of re-edited Eurocult promo trailers including one for the present title. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While it may not be the (quote) “lost sexploitation classic”, Full Moon so proudly proclaims it to be, it’s nice to see them digging deep into the Eurociné archives just the same, even if most of the films are not to everyone’s tastes. Order the Blu-ray from <a href="https://www.fullmoondirect.com/House-of-Cruel-Dolls-Blu-ray-_p_1561.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Full Moon Direct</span></a>. The DVD is also available <a href="https://www.fullmoondirect.com/House-of-Cruel-Dolls-Remastered-DVD_p_1562.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-70578301655113373642021-04-08T00:38:00.002-04:002021-04-08T00:41:08.962-04:00THE AGFA HORROR TRAILER SHOW - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8TmjLhoeo-Dx15ul4bw8etZ2Yv0xyf3TVdV5Mwoa_KOvZWnOLA5UCzSQw0TDwFVA-MtYsDp0mD-EIZL-Wlj6Hv5NLaNbfyzboadeMHCrKjD4iUt6Xo81nyM9Snbx0AXNUxWi2gCRKZA/s1920/1.+John+Austin+Fraser.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8TmjLhoeo-Dx15ul4bw8etZ2Yv0xyf3TVdV5Mwoa_KOvZWnOLA5UCzSQw0TDwFVA-MtYsDp0mD-EIZL-Wlj6Hv5NLaNbfyzboadeMHCrKjD4iUt6Xo81nyM9Snbx0AXNUxWi2gCRKZA/w400-h225/1.+John+Austin+Fraser.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Right from the opening frames of Europix-International’s now-famous “Orgy of the Living Dead” triple-feature trailer, which kicks things off in fine style, the folks at the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) really revel in all the lurid ballyhoo these long-gone trailers always delivered. You will see plenty of familiar trailers in this Blu-ray collection, which was curated by AGFA’s and Bleeding Skull’s Joe A. Ziemba, but it also delivers a number of unique, eye-opening surprises along the way as well. For anyone well-versed with their <i>oeuvre</i>, AGFA’s <b>HORROR TRAILER SHOW</b> is very much in the same vein as their amazing Mystery Mixtapes, bringing together several intermission ads for the likes of Pepe’s Pizza, cigarettes, flea markets and other regional attractions, loads of (quote) “disgustingly-photographed food snipes”, as well as several other, oddball commercials too, such as one for a novelty product called “Flamer – The Electric Football.” As Ziemba points-outs in his enthusiastic audio commentary, this is like a (quote) “curated night at the drive-in from Dimension X”!</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNOYYA_YUGbIc9UNQ_9k2nMLdvJaQQCfgThwe-TsZtg8WR85h3pT63GeTaQh3DnghVMGOdkukoJBSoBnqLbWBUkELxkqX0jsB2uGii_owaLsrCj6lVMl4HMJtjzQ7hGCHfqKq6OZTAJE/s1920/2.+The+Undertaker+and+His+Pals.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNOYYA_YUGbIc9UNQ_9k2nMLdvJaQQCfgThwe-TsZtg8WR85h3pT63GeTaQh3DnghVMGOdkukoJBSoBnqLbWBUkELxkqX0jsB2uGii_owaLsrCj6lVMl4HMJtjzQ7hGCHfqKq6OZTAJE/w400-h225/2.+The+Undertaker+and+His+Pals.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">“You’re about to enter the 21<sup>st</sup> Century of <i>terror</i>!” opines the narrator on Troma’s trailer for <b>NIGHTMARE WEEKEND</b> (1986), an unclassifiable bit of gory ’80s mayhem, which serves as a wholly-appropriate WTF beginning to this fast-paced compilation. This is immediately followed by the U.S. trailer for <b>WITCHCRAFT ’70</b> (1970), an Italian-made mondo movie from director Luigi Scattini, which was reedited by American director and exploitation vet, Lee Frost. Here appearing under its much-shorter alternate title<b> THE TEENAGE PSYCHO MEETS BLOODY MARY</b>, Ray Dennis Steckler’s trash classic <b>THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECOME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES</b> (1964) was allegedly filmed in (quote) “shocking Bloody-Vision!” In keeping with the carny spirit, a spot for Leonard Kirtman’s <b>CARNIVAL OF BLOOD</b> (1970) also shows up (“<i>This picture begins where Hitchcock stops and climaxes in nerve-shattering terror!</i>”).</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFydDd3iANCn3GNqv9iK_iTXFqgT5ZXCqO_C0tdx1xWwRHMmS5S203gg-6kwaBMNDzwUUQpgaI4d5M9G8jCJObFKUIRKVyyQ8S1iDcuyYZLcYBCtJpK7ar5GDhrvO5bfBDZ14QV43k5o/s1920/3.+Splatter+University.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFydDd3iANCn3GNqv9iK_iTXFqgT5ZXCqO_C0tdx1xWwRHMmS5S203gg-6kwaBMNDzwUUQpgaI4d5M9G8jCJObFKUIRKVyyQ8S1iDcuyYZLcYBCtJpK7ar5GDhrvO5bfBDZ14QV43k5o/w400-h225/3.+Splatter+University.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even though the trailers aren’t necessarily compiled into specific separate sections, ’80s slasher flicks are given plenty of coverage, beginning with <b>SPLATTER UNIVERSITY</b> (1984) and J.S. Cardone’s wonderfully-atmospheric <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-slayer-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE SLAYER</span></a></b> (1982). Other titles include Stu Segall’s <b>DRIVE-IN MASSACRE</b> (1976)—which, hilariously, comes complete with a misspelled title card!—plus Dominick Brascia’s low-budget oddity <b>EVIL LAUGH</b> (1986) and Jimmy Huston’s much-maligned <b>FINAL EXAM</b> (1981), whose trailer bears the memorable tagline, “<i>Some may pass the test, God help the rest!</i>” Mexican horror films are also well-represented with several oddly-tinted trailers for Fernando Méndez’s <b>THE VAMPIRE’S COFFIN</b> (1958), Chano Urueta’s insaniac <b>THE BRAINIAC</b> (1962), Rafael Portillo’s <b>THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY</b> (1958) and also the same director’s wonderfully-titled <b><i>TERROR SEXO Y BRUJERIA</i></b> (originally released as <i>Cautivo del mas allá</i> [1968]), a film with a remarkable release history, and one that definitely warrants a BD release of its own! A choppy—if most welcome—trailer for Walter Boos’ <b>MAGDALENA, POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL</b> (1974) and a quite lengthy if strangely mesmerizing one (featuring a Christopher Lee intro) for Evan Lee’s <b>MEATCLEVER MASSACRE</b> (1977) are just a couple of the other rare coming attractions nuggets contained on AGFA’s disc. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sOSNQLbiKSshmtiMTPNX3O1ICBEtowdDlMqUW2-52dRhGTU0ybz1BjUtrKtBOBbubIn7KR3mr_PzjSgzIOt5NgprASCCkfJX9jPtR0LsBRTbfY7Dz9-ED3YzMjw8oaf1P6WUgXHJDd0/s1920/4.+Terror+y+Sexo+Brujeria.JPEG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sOSNQLbiKSshmtiMTPNX3O1ICBEtowdDlMqUW2-52dRhGTU0ybz1BjUtrKtBOBbubIn7KR3mr_PzjSgzIOt5NgprASCCkfJX9jPtR0LsBRTbfY7Dz9-ED3YzMjw8oaf1P6WUgXHJDd0/w400-h225/4.+Terror+y+Sexo+Brujeria.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Featuring a new 2K scan from a (quote) “newly-struck 35mm theatrical print of the show,” each trailer looks terrific, even though the quality does fluctuate from trailer to trailer, with all the scratches, dirt, debris and other surface damage of the celluloid emulsion you might expect so many years after the fact. That said, there really isn’t anything to complain about, though. The DTS-HD master audio 2.0 also sounds fine, despite the inherent imperfections of the various audio tracks used. Of course, plenty of extra features accompany the ‘main feature’ (i.e., the trailers themselves), beginning with a breezy audio commentary by the AGFA team headed by Ziemba, which barely touches on the actual individual films themselves, they discuss how everything came about and their challenge of compiling something a little different alongside the numerous other trailer compilations on the market, including Garagehouse Pictures’ essential <b>TRAILER TRAUMA </b>discs, which Ziemba admits can’t be beat. They also enthusiastically discuss their earliest memories of seeing their first trailers; their nostalgia over VHS video boxes; and Something Weird Video’s contribution to film preservation and their amazing <b>HEY FOLKS! IT’S INTERMISSION TIME</b> compilations.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlZEJl4KrZbaGPcxYuFfmDu4r3ck7qGdZx8yJoyeNbad4C3wDUeMa7iCIt_vJI1g3_Sp4yj4TmvMrniWjfIowJWVqu522mGSu6Sdqo013g49C8orsxCnbR5gggzEaj6yMZSGh9nzDY7E/s1920/5.+Demon+Wind.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlZEJl4KrZbaGPcxYuFfmDu4r3ck7qGdZx8yJoyeNbad4C3wDUeMa7iCIt_vJI1g3_Sp4yj4TmvMrniWjfIowJWVqu522mGSu6Sdqo013g49C8orsxCnbR5gggzEaj6yMZSGh9nzDY7E/w400-h225/5.+Demon+Wind.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In what is easily the biggest surprise, AGFA’s disc also includes <b>Videorage </b>(70m42s)<span>—highlighting the (quote) “most ghastly, repulsive and unbelievable shot-on-video and direct-to-video horror trailers the underworld has ever seen!”—which is surely going to please even the most jaded horror junkie, despite the fact that most of the, uh, ‘films’ represented herein aren’t worth sitting through in their entirety; although several SOV staples, such as Christopher Lewis’ Oklahoma-shot <b>BLOOD CULT</b> </span><span>(1985), and both Jon McBride’s <b>CANNIBAL CAMPOUT</b> </span>(1988) and <b>WOODCHIPPER MASSACRE</b> (1988), are included, AGFA’s (quote) “video dungeon” also showcases Todd Jason Cook’s zero-budget anthology <b>HORRORSCOPE</b><span> (1994) and <b>DEATH METAL ZOMBIES</b> </span>(1995); Todd Sheets’ <b>CATACOMBS</b> (2000); the U.S. trailer for Olaf Ittenbach’s German gorefest <b>THE BURNING MOON</b> (1992), which emphatically declares, “No matter what you’ve seen, you’ve ain’t seen nuthin’ like this! Banned in 14 countries!”; Nick Millard’s mind-numbing <b>DEATH NURSE</b> (1987), whose home video preview is also hilariously pathetic; Andrew Jordan’s Canadian-lensed and shockingly-awful <b>THINGS</b><span> (1989); plus Ron Switzer’s nigh-on-unwatchable <b>SCIENCE CRAZED</b> </span><span>(1991), another Canadian (non-)production. An exceedingly <i>loooooong</i> </span>trailer (which seems like more of a demo-reel!) for Doris Wishman’s <b>A NIGHT TO DISMEMBER</b><span> (1983) also appears, as do several homegrown—and highly energetic—Nigerian (“Nollywood”) movies, such as Kalu Anya’s <b>SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE</b> </span>(2007) and Emeka Nwabueze’s <b>ENJOYMENT IN HELL</b><span> (20??). Not enough, you say? How about video previews for Mack Hail’s <b>MR. ICE CREAM MAN</b> </span>(1996), Doug Robertson’s <b>HAUNTEDWEEN</b> (1991), Don Dohler’s <b>BLOOD MASSACRE</b><span> (1991), and Mark and John Polonia’s <b>HOLLA IF I KILL YOU</b> </span>(2003), which are just a few more of the titles included in this very welcome bonus feature. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As if all <i>that</i> lot ain’t enough, AGFA also include <b>Say Goodbye To Your Brain</b> (6m50s), a short (quote) “found footage experiment” comprised of lightning-fast clips and titles from a wide range of horror films. This totals an all-round <i>great</i> comp, that is worthy of repeated viewings. Order it from <a href="https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/agfa/products/the-agfa-horror-trailer-show-agfa" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Vinegar Syndrome</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-8719286234402574052020-12-29T20:45:00.004-05:002020-12-29T22:47:51.668-05:00UNPOPPED CINEMA'S TOP 30 BEST DISCS OF 2020<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJNGLBPTTuDuWrqK5MuPH87xbKC-oqRtBZ57ntJ-zrU4OV7dKIocAz1Fn1TFSuZWi7Wqb_JWJxfC2DscLb92gHPcNx1NTeu7PFvJynRHUxV4l5nsirFItzOm7MLgOsReRD6FWyylkBoQ/s1600/Al+Adamson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJNGLBPTTuDuWrqK5MuPH87xbKC-oqRtBZ57ntJ-zrU4OV7dKIocAz1Fn1TFSuZWi7Wqb_JWJxfC2DscLb92gHPcNx1NTeu7PFvJynRHUxV4l5nsirFItzOm7MLgOsReRD6FWyylkBoQ/w400-h225/Al+Adamson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">As we continue to grapple with the on-going global pandemic, several boutique home video labels this past year continued to unearth, preserve and release a cavalcade of cinematic riches on disc week after week. Labels such as 88 Films, AGFA, Arrow Video, Blue Underground, Camera Obscura, Cauldron Films, The Criterion Collection, Dark Force Entertainment, Garagehouse Pictures, Kino Lorber, Mondo Macabro, Scorpion Releasing, Scream Factory, Second Sight, Severin Films, Synapse Films, and Vinegar Syndrome need to be praised and applauded for their unwavering dedication to what was, undoubtedly, one strange year. The vast array of titles released in 2020 have once again been incredible, to say the least. So, let’s take a look at some of my favourite releases and honourable mentions. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">AL ADAMSON: THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1960 - 2019] (Severin Films) – Anchored by David Gregory’s superb documentary <b>BLOOD AND FLESH: THE REEL LIFE AND GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON </b>(2019), Severin Films have lovingly assembled all 32 of Adamson’s credited films in what is perhaps one of the most impressive collective undertakings on any one film director. Spread out over 14 discs (!) with <i>far</i> too many extras to even mention here; this already jam-packed set also includes <u>The Blood and Flesh Files</u>, a wonderful 120-page book with writing from Amanda Reyes and Bill Ackerman, who discuss each film at length. An unparalleled accomplishment in both content and packaging. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AYerygDe6IXfgFkPLuDnzGvMdRJsjtywmffcHrDBld7X8htbGCs3jJwkDywxb2agaQy9VHjR1_LtF_IfHYfPPfY_nxRIbYdDaLeHAotiolMaq9XZ8aaDBurp4ID4yDtjc8IzVk105U8/s1920/7.+Melted.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AYerygDe6IXfgFkPLuDnzGvMdRJsjtywmffcHrDBld7X8htbGCs3jJwkDywxb2agaQy9VHjR1_LtF_IfHYfPPfY_nxRIbYdDaLeHAotiolMaq9XZ8aaDBurp4ID4yDtjc8IzVk105U8/w400-h225/7.+Melted.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>AMERICAN RICKSHAW</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1989](Cauldron Films) – One of the loopier and truly unforgettable Italian films you’re ever likely to encounter, Sergio Martino’s genre mash-up made its North American HD debut earlier this year thanks to Cauldron Films, an exciting new specialty label. Featuring an eye-popping new transfer, several worthy extra features (including a fantastic audio commentary from Kat Ellinger and Samm Deighan) and very cool packaging, Cauldron’s new disc is absolutely first-rate and comes highly recommended. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/10/american-rickshaw-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">BAHIA BLANCA</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1984] (Severin Films) – One of the more obscure and criminally undervalued titles in Jess Franco’s exhaustive filmography, this was nearly impossible to see outside of shoddy, grey market bootlegs. In Alain Petit’s book, <u>Jess Franco ou les Prosperités du Bis</u>, Franco said this was (quote) “one of my best-looking films,” which Severin shows off in grand style thanks to their new 4K transfer and several illuminating special features.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtvn480C3TrufclbC22-l4gPIFx7c3_m9JVkY1gAZyjZYnknNzysDgw7n6j_V2_L7Nj8DwxaC0X0BoJxd7GaHSYezJHZrccfsfisavEvM4GPmVlXw0Kj3mbOxt2sMK7Gfl_KQL3Os3nY/s1920/2.+Cannibalism.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtvn480C3TrufclbC22-l4gPIFx7c3_m9JVkY1gAZyjZYnknNzysDgw7n6j_V2_L7Nj8DwxaC0X0BoJxd7GaHSYezJHZrccfsfisavEvM4GPmVlXw0Kj3mbOxt2sMK7Gfl_KQL3Os3nY/w400-h225/2.+Cannibalism.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE</b> [1980] </span><span lang="EN-US">(Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – Here making its worldwide HD debut, Antonio Margheriti’s hybridization of Vietnam-themed war pictures and Italian cannibal gut-crunchers arrived on Blu-ray looking better than ever, and with a whole gutful of worthy extras to boot, including an excellent audio commentary with Video Watchdog’s Tim Lucas. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/03/cannibal-apocalypse-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">COME AND SEE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1985] (The Criterion Collection) – An agonizing, nightmarish vision of cruelty, this is one of the most devastating anti-war films ever produced. Filled with unforgettable, hallucinatory images (Aleksey Rodionov’s camerawork is without peer) and a haunting performance from then-unknown actor Alexsey Kravchenko, <b>COME AND SEE</b> is a war film like no other. Previously released by Kino Lorber as a 2-disc Special Edition DVD, Criterion’s very welcome HD upgrade includes a brand new 2K restoration provided by Mosfilm, along with a host of archival interviews, making-of documentaries, and a recent interview with ace cinematographer Roger Deakins who acknowledges its many influences on his work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE COMPLETE LENZI BAKER COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1969 - 1972] (Severin Films) – Usually regarded as a journeyman director, Umberto Lenzi has, thanks to brilliant collections such as this, been finally getting the recognition he so richly deserves. Gathering together four of his collaborations with ex-pat Hollywood star Carroll Baker (which for the record include <b><i>ORGASMO</i></b> [a.k.a. <b>PARANOIA</b>, 1969], <b>SO SWEET… SO PERVERSE </b>[1969], <b>A QUIET</b> <b>PLACE TO KILL</b> [1970] and <b>KNIFE OF ICE</b> [1972]), Severin has rightly given prominence to this quartet of sexually-charged <i>gialli</i>, which all look uniformly outstanding in this new set. Lenzi’s once difficult-to-see <b><i>ORGASMO</i></b> is a particular revelation as it not only preserves the film’s original 2.35:1 Techniscope framing but includes both the Italian and very different US release version as well! On the extras front, Samm Deighan, Kat Ellinger, Troy Howarth, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and Nathaniel Thompson all provide very engaging audio commentaries as they delve into plenty of detail for each film. As if this set wasn’t exhaustive enough, Severin has also included a pair of soundtrack CDs, which even consists of the heretofore unreleased-</span><span lang="EN-US">and complete-</span><span lang="EN-US">Piero Umiliani score for <b><i>ORGASMO</i></b>! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1971] (Blue Underground) – A popular title within BU’s catalogue, Harry Kümel’s marvelous, one-of-a-kind and dreamy take on the Elizabeth Bathory legend has been beautifully packaged in a new three-disc edition, which not only features a stunning 4K UHD, but a new Blu-ray, and soundtrack CD as well. All of the extra features from previous releases have been thoughtfully ported over, but BU has also included a pair of enticing new trailers, an extensive artwork gallery, and a brand-new audio commentary with Kat Ellinger, who leaves no stone left unturned in her expert, fact-filled talk. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtzeaauHBmDNfpCuiUmHuprGupHJI9VEhGwT2_dm2fXqu0KlntzBITSfr-tcYKHG2CMxpO_V2TH1p_mf-lvmVIuSK2mOzbBDNjm-5YjirhiQSgvvyAAWGst5wx-JxTdeGg3UEScQXlPo/s750/Dawn+of+the+Dead.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="750" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtzeaauHBmDNfpCuiUmHuprGupHJI9VEhGwT2_dm2fXqu0KlntzBITSfr-tcYKHG2CMxpO_V2TH1p_mf-lvmVIuSK2mOzbBDNjm-5YjirhiQSgvvyAAWGst5wx-JxTdeGg3UEScQXlPo/w400-h214/Dawn+of+the+Dead.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>DAWN OF THE DEAD</b></span><span lang="EN-US"><b> </b>[1978] (Second Sight) – George A. Romero’s masterpiece is the definitive zombie film, and this highly-anticipated 4K UHD box set should now be considered its <i>definitive</i> home video presentation! Supervised by DoP Michael Gornick, all three versions have been immaculately restored from their original camera negatives and are, to put it mildly, stunning in their clarity. Lavishly designed and over-flowing with special features both new and old, Second Sight also adds three separate soundtrack CDs featuring Goblin’s iconic score and the complete De Wolfe library tracks! And to top it all off, a beautiful 160-page (!) hardcover book with all-new writing on the film is also included! This new box set is sure to keep even the most jaded fan entertained for hours on end. </span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DEADLINE </span></b><span lang="EN-US">[1980] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Popular horror novelist Steven Massey (Stephen Young) is beginning to lose his grip on reality through a series of vivid </span><span lang="EN-US">and often gory </span><span lang="EN-US">hallucinations, which sinks him further and further into a world of self-delusion and tragedy. Mario Azzopardi’s effective, Canadian-produced shocker never did make the jump to DVD, but thanks to VS, this new 2K scan (taken from the producer’s personal 35mm print) is a significant upgrade in every way, far removed from Paragon Video’s muddy old VHS tape. Extras are limited, but Henry Lass and DoP Manfred Guthe appear in separate on-camera interviews, who discuss the Canadian tax shelter years and working alongside director Azzopardi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>DEMONIA </b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1990] (Severin Films) – Despite the film’s litany of production woes, Lucio Fulci’s low-budget Gothic horror film still possesses flashes of style and imagination, but thanks to Severin Films’ major HD overhaul, it’s now an altogether more satisfying viewing experience. As for the extras, Severin includes many newly-produced interviews, but the highlight is a superb and very informative audio commentary from Stephen Thrower, author of <a href="https://www.fabpress.com/beyond-terror-revised-expanded-standard-edition.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><u>Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio</u> <u>Fulci</u></span></a> (FAB Press, 2018), who not only sheds light on the present film but Fulci’s less-talked-about latter-day career as well. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/10/demonia-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1970] (Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – Coming at the end of their fruitful collaboration, which began with <b>DAVID AND LISA</b> (1962), Frank and Eleanor Perry’s domestic drama focuses on Tina Balser (Carrie Snodgress), a Manhattan housewife who is alienated by her indifferent, socially-minded husband (Richard Benjamin). In the hopes of finding solace in another man’s arms, she begins an affair with a brash young writer (Frank Langella), who turns out to be a lot less than she initially hoped. Based on Sue Kaufman's novel, the film’s themes of isolation, materialism, and misguided ambition are as relevant today as they were fifty years ago. Bypassing DVD altogether, Kino offers a fine transfer of the film, which is nicely complemented by a rewarding audio commentary with screenwriter Larry Karaszewski and film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell, who, as usual, find plenty to discuss, including some of the differences between Perry’s film and Kaufman’s book. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FORBIDDEN FRUIT: THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE EXPLOITATION PICTURE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Kino Lorber / Something Weird Video) – Initiated with William Beaudine’s, Kroger Babb produced sex hygiene picture <b>MOM AND DAD</b> (1945), Kino and SWV have embarked on a series of ‘cautionary’ films, which, to date, consist of eight volumes. Of course, each Blu-ray comes loaded with a number of interesting, rarely-seen extras in which SWV is famously generous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfz1iNCNjxFjYtSny7R3BpYcmwW0UaSFbuJlyzhM_Zu-GECkqmRPGIT8T4MRZnkCB5mztBpkuwfzgBfyDj5w6bbRh2Sr_BWcZGU6JWn8pZ_a2H-HycrJmrprrLVdBePfNMz0N3uzvcf8/s1920/10.+Police+Are+Blundering+in+the+Dark.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfz1iNCNjxFjYtSny7R3BpYcmwW0UaSFbuJlyzhM_Zu-GECkqmRPGIT8T4MRZnkCB5mztBpkuwfzgBfyDj5w6bbRh2Sr_BWcZGU6JWn8pZ_a2H-HycrJmrprrLVdBePfNMz0N3uzvcf8/w400-h225/10.+Police+Are+Blundering+in+the+Dark.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>FORGOTTEN GIALLI - VOLUME 1</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1973 - 1978](Vinegar Syndrome) – A most welcome box set, this first volume certainly lives up to its title, which contains León Klimovsky’s unusually violent <b>TRAUMA</b> (1978), Javier Aguirre’s <u>Ten Little Indians</u> inspired thriller, <b>THE KILLER IS ONE OF THIRTEEN</b> (1973), and one last, head-scratching obscurity, Helia Columbo’s <b>THE POLICE ARE BLUNDERING IN THE DARK</b> (1975). Loaded with numerous extra features, informative audio commentaries (from the likes of Samm Deighan, Kat Ellinger and Troy Howarth) and a substantial audio essay from Rachael Nisbet, this impressive collection needs to be on the shelf of every self-respecting Eurotrash fanatic! <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/05/forgotten-gialli-volume-1-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">FRIDAY THE 13<sup>TH</sup> COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1980 - 2009](Scream Factory) – Readily available throughout home video's history, this hugely popular slasher franchise has been much-loved among collectors. Yet, it has never received the red-carpet treatment many fans have craved over the years. Well, thanks to Shout Factory’s Scream Factory line, this impressive “Deluxe Edition” box set brings together all twelve films and a <i>huge</i> assortment of special features spread out over 16 Blu-rays! The first four films all come with new 4K scans, while the New Line Cinema titles outside of Ronny Yu’s <b>FREDDY VS. JASON</b> (2003) are all given new 2K scans. While the rest of the films don’t receive the same facelift, at least they are properly restored to their original 1.85:1 framing, which should count for something. Despite the missed opportunity to properly remaster all the films, this is sure to remain the definitive box set for years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE FU MANCHU CYCLE, 1965 – 1969</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> (Indicator) – This brilliant collection includes all five Fu Manchu adventures (all beautifully remastered from the StudioCanal vaults) and a mountain of extra features, including several audio commentaries, interviews, documentaries, alternate title sequences, and a 118-page (!) booklet, which also includes more fine work from Tim Lucas. Beautifully assembled and incredibly thorough, this easily ranks as one of the best releases of the year!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE FURY OF THE WOLFMAN</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1972] (Scorpion Releasing) – A troublesome production with a very scattershot home video release history, Scorpion tried their very best to remedy this situation with their much-improved Blu-ray. Although the transfer still has some damage and speckling, this heavily-flawed Paul Naschy / Waldemar Daninsky werewolf picture has never looked better than it does here. Along with a pair of separate audio commentaries from Troy Howarth and Mirek Lipinski, Scorpion has also included both the theatrical and export versions, the latter of which contains some lesser-quality SD inserts. While not perfect, I can’t imagine this getting a better release anytime soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">GAMERA – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1965 - 2006] (Arrow Video) – Much like their earlier, equally impressive Herschell Gordon Lewis <b>SHOCK AND GORE</b> box set, Arrow Video have outdone themselves yet again with this monstrous set dedicated to everyone’s favorite fire-eating giant turtle. Featuring all twelve films comprising both the Showa Era (1965-1980) and the Heisei Trilogy (1995-1999) and then finishing off with Ryuta Tasaki’s rather spineless <b>GAMERA THE BRAVE </b>(2006), Arrow’s oversized</span><span lang="EN-US">¾</span><span lang="EN-US">and beautifully packaged</span><span lang="EN-US">¾</span><span lang="EN-US">rigid slipcase is one very imposing collection. Because of the wide assortment of special features (including intros by genre expert August Ragone) contained herein, it would be virtually impossible to list everything. Still, it’s worth mentioning that an 80-page book with writing from Patrick Macias <i>and</i> a 130-page hardbound book containing reprints from a four-issue Gamera comic book are also generously included. It’s a stunning, incredibly obsessive set that’s well worth your hard-earned cash.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">GRAVEYARDS OF HONOR</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1975 - 2002] (Arrow Video) – Based on Goro Fujitu’s book on real-life post-World War II gangster Rikio Ishikawa, this unflinching, extremely violent portrait unfolds as a typical rise and fall gangster story, but director Kinji Fukasaku’s stylistic flourishes and kinetic pacing are bold and unique with style to spare – it’s a gangster film like to other. Although following a similar storyline, which is just as violent, Takashi Miike’s 2002 remake is an altogether different beast setting the film in then-contemporary ’90s Japan. Housed in one of Arrow’s sturdy slipcases, this 2-disc set also encompasses several immersive extras, including audio commentaries from Mark Schilling and Tom Mes, visual essays from The Projection Booth’s Mike White and Diabolique’s Kat Ellinger, several archival interviews with the cast and crew, and an informative book written by genre expert Jasper Sharp. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGcjSXs_UkeA9LN8zV4lV4bwaLsKnfLrHnYyIgLrts7TPSUix0jgkCU7YOt8ew85c5QGcywTD6JyRx0haOSBbPKVjoeKrCBbXCSvvZPql-ZGDxaTHzHQC5xnIhqBtZ7WBftX3hA_mv6I/s1920/9+The+Living+Dead+attack%2521.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGcjSXs_UkeA9LN8zV4lV4bwaLsKnfLrHnYyIgLrts7TPSUix0jgkCU7YOt8ew85c5QGcywTD6JyRx0haOSBbPKVjoeKrCBbXCSvvZPql-ZGDxaTHzHQC5xnIhqBtZ7WBftX3hA_mv6I/w400-h225/9+The+Living+Dead+attack%2521.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE</b></span><span lang="EN-US"> [1974] (Synapse Films) - Released under many alternate titles and numerous different versions, Jorge Grau’s seminal Euro zombie shocker has been steadily available in several ‘special editions’ throughout the digital age thus far. However, the recent 3-disc Limited Edition Steelbook from those perfectionists at Synapse Films easily eclipses <i>every</i> single other release that preceded it. Without going into too many specifics, the image is virtually <i>flawless</i>. Synapse has also commissioned several new special features, including a pair of enthusiastic and highly-enjoyable audio commentaries from Troy Howarth <i>and</i> a co-commentary from Cinema Arcana’s Bruce Holecheck and Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson. Other extras include a couple of on-camera interviews with Gianetto De Rossi courtesy of Eugenio Ercolani, and a feature-length documentary on director Jorge Grau. Enclosed in an eye-catching Steelbook featuring original cover art by Wes Benscoter (and a slick slipcover), this exemplary set also includes a DVD copy of the Blu-ray <i>and</i> a 15-track (29m59s) soundtrack CD of Giuliano Sorgini’s memorable score. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-living-dead-at-manchester-morgue.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">LUCIO FULCI 4K X 3</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1979 - 1982] (Blue Underground) – Having re-visited Fulci’s gore classics innumerable times on DVD and Blu-ray, BU has truly outdone themselves with their most recent 4K UHD releases. As impressive as their 3-disc Limited Editions of <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/12/zombie-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">ZOMBIE</span></a> </b>(1979), <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-house-by-cemetery-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY</span></a></b> (1981), and <b>THE NEW YORK RIPPER</b>(1982) were, these new upgrades are truly remarkable in their clarity and detail without ever sacrificing their natural film-like structure – they are simply stunning. You need these!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">MACABRE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1980] (88 Films) – Without a doubt, this remains Lamberto Bava’s best film, a languorous Gothic melodrama of obsession and madness, which has finally garnered a very handsome HD upgrade. Touted as a (quote) “new 2K restoration from the original camera negative”, 88 Films’ transfer provides a generous boost in details than earlier DVD releases. As for extras, director Bava appears in an excellent on-camera interview, cheekily entitled, <b>Don’t Lose Your Head</b>. However, the most significant bonus is an audio commentary from author Troy Howarth and Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson, who provide another one of their absorbing and very entertaining look into the film. 88 Films have also seen fit to include a 12-page booklet with liner notes written by Rachael Nisbet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH </b>[1976]<b> </b></span><span lang="EN-US">(Synapse Films) – Not so much a slasher film as the title implies, this oddly fascinating film is more of a thought-provoking examination of social class structure, albeit a very violent one. Proving difficult to see since its 1981 VHS release from Electric Video Inc., Synapse’s new Blu-ray is a real sight for sore eyes, which features yet another one of their stellar restorations and a host of newly-produced special features.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE McPHERSON TAPE</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1989] (AGFA) – Long before directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez popularized the ‘found-footage’ film with <b>THE</b> <b>BLAIR WITCH PROJECT </b>(1999), Dean Alioto did much the same with this SOV (shot-on-video) production, which he shot for a paltry $6500. Even though it contains all the usual staples associated with found-footage cinema, such as overlapping dialogue, video glitches, and shaky camerawork, it’s the film’s backstory, which proves to be far more fascinating than the film itself. Securing a distribution deal after the film had wrapped, all the master tapes burned down in a warehouse fire, only for the film to mysteriously reappear a few years later where it was traded among UFO conspiracy theorists and pawned off as the real deal! All of this and much more are thoroughly discussed within the numerous special features included on AGFA’s disc, which also includes Alioto’s 2017 director’s cut, <b>UFO ABDUCTION</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B43HeAHsgnyAqXsnYTUX3tqjTqAZBCgSLhYFF3K7a5owIDGAUH9uKtBIbI0oGC5r-j62KPPrhQVoI5ZD4OPj_nIjBvbRtxZqYwbbZnw0_ceoOh1dRzAb9h3Vkj9xXb2_yDUf74C7gdc/s1920/4.+Merli+and+Sbargia.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7B43HeAHsgnyAqXsnYTUX3tqjTqAZBCgSLhYFF3K7a5owIDGAUH9uKtBIbI0oGC5r-j62KPPrhQVoI5ZD4OPj_nIjBvbRtxZqYwbbZnw0_ceoOh1dRzAb9h3Vkj9xXb2_yDUf74C7gdc/w400-h225/4.+Merli+and+Sbargia.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>POLIZIOTTO SPRINT </b>[1977] </span><span lang="EN-US">(Camera Obscura) - Unfortunately, outside of second or third-generation bootlegs, Stelvio Massi’s anarchic high-speed smash-’em-up was never easy to see, so Camera Obscura’s newest HD restoration is a much welcome release, indeed. Starring Italocrime icon Maurizio Merli <i>without</i> his trademark ’stache, this is much more of a showcase for the talents of veteran stunt arranger Rémi Julienne and his extraordinary stuntwork. As usual, CO’s all-region Blu-ray is yet another <i>gorgeous</i> release, boasting a beautifully-detailed and colourful image, with no digital enhancement of any sort. Although extras are limited, CO does include an excellent—and highly-appreciated—interview with author Roberto Curti. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/05/poliziotto-sprint-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>RUBEN GALINDO JR. X 2 </b>[1985 - 1989]<b> </b></span><span lang="EN-US">(Vinegar Syndrome) – Previously released on DVD in less-than-satisfactory condition via BCI/Eclipse, Ruben Galindo Jr.’s <b>CEMETERY OF TERROR</b> (1985) and <b>GRAVE ROBBERS</b> (1989) are a pair of latter-day Mexican horror films, which have never garnered any real attention. Thankfully, VS has come to the rescue of these scrappy—and at times very gory—films with brand-new 4K scans and some fantastic restoration work. Of course, VS doesn’t skimp on the bonus features as well, with numerous audio commentaries and interview featurettes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybj9r8Ai-JJfMzEa9ItOKUV2trV2v7zjCeOKMxbByBMdZGIhRsa_gYFzJ7BPA-cjYiT5XoEHg8CAmun8YRE4g76VKITxVhGuvVMclvAIYdxqHf8rGrfKaCIMzubAdilAnybdALu4Oo0U/s1920/2.+Lina+Romay+and+Monica+Swinn.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybj9r8Ai-JJfMzEa9ItOKUV2trV2v7zjCeOKMxbByBMdZGIhRsa_gYFzJ7BPA-cjYiT5XoEHg8CAmun8YRE4g76VKITxVhGuvVMclvAIYdxqHf8rGrfKaCIMzubAdilAnybdALu4Oo0U/w400-h225/2.+Lina+Romay+and+Monica+Swinn.png" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><b>SHINING SEX</b> [1975] </span><span lang="EN-US">(Severin Films) - A hypnotic, often <i>bizarro</i> melding of an experimental softcore sex film with science-fiction trappings, Jess Franco’s wholly unique film remains one of the director’s more unapologetically voyeuristic efforts. Only sporadically released on videotape, Severin’s edition of <b>SHINING SEX</b> boasts an all-new transfer taken directly from Eurociné’s original camera negative, which is very impressive. Beginning with a thorough audio commentary from Franco expert Robert Monell and NaschyCast’s Rodney Barrett, Severin also includes many fascinating interviews (including Gérard Kikoïne and Eurocine’s Daniel Lesoeur) and In the Land of Franco Part 3, which documents many of Franco’s shooting locations. The limited-edition release also comes with <i>In the Land of Franco Vol. 1</i>, a very welcome soundtrack comp CD (14 tracks, 54m) featuring music from several Jess Franco films, the present one included. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/09/shining-sex-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.</span></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">SINS OF THE FLESH</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1974] (Mondo Macabro) – Rarely-seen outside of France, it’s distinctive titles such as this that makes me better appreciate the work everyone does at MM. Directed by iconoclast Claude Mulot (here employing his familiar Frédéric Lansac pseudonym, which he used for most of his subsequent adult titles), this is a twisted, erotically-charged, exploitation picture, which focuses on Benoît (Francis Lemonnier) and Jean-Pierre (Patrick Penn), a pair of ne’er-do-well’s always on the lookout for trouble. Considering its relative obscurity, MM’s Blu-ray looks terrific and includes a wealth of extra features, including several interviews with many of Mulot’s colleagues, who discuss his career and effectively summarize the burgeoning world of French sex films at the time. Unfortunately, the Limited ‘Red Case’ Edition (which included a set of postcards and a booklet with an essay from Pete Tombs) has since sold out, but the standard retail edition contains the same transfer and extra features.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">TRAILER TRAUMA 5: 70s ACTION ATTACK</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [2020] (Garagehouse Pictures) - Yet another contribution to Garagehouse Pictures’ exciting Trailer Trauma series, their latest colossal undertaking is a magnificent, lovingly-put-together tribute to ’70s action pictures, which veers from badass blaxploitation to messily-dubbed, gimmicky martial arts films and everything in-between, even including big-budget Hollywood classics in amongst all the expected “B” and “Z”-grade trash. Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson and Howard S. Berger also provide a fantastic, comprehensive audio commentary and never fail to wax enthusiastic for each and every film. <a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/04/trailer-trauma-v-70s-action-attack.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Read the review</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">WAR OF THE WORLDS</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1953] (The Criterion Collection) – Beautifully restored in 4K, Byron Haskin’s sci-fi classic has never looked better than it does here on Criterion’s spectacular Blu-ray, and it's loaded with tons of bonus features as well. Nuff said!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-US">YETI, THE GIANT OF THE 20TH CENTURY</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> [1977](Dark Force Entertainment) – Made hot on the heels of Dino de Laurentiis’ <b>KING KONG</b> (1976) remake, Gianfranco Parolini’s laughably awful giant monster movie has always been a personal ‘bad movie’ favourite. Usually relegated to inferior quality bootlegs, Dark Force’s new Blu-ray looks mighty impressive, and even though it’s a bare-bones affair, the fact it was released at all is cause for celebration. Plus, it’ll look good next to my 14-year old Beat Records CD of Sante Maria Romitelli’s disco-themed score. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTteCipc567Tgx9EzT4Z10ZvsvkyT4H3JX5QGW9Z03FfihQDHqrNp6ogq01c-lV6BMhE0iuS4LrAQr-jeUgBycMUFILNnmxXgHxdA2rGXlKmysVnyfzGEwfO6Or1IfJL0brOdHaZEeWCQ/s1920/1.+Deborah+%2522Debbie%2522+Shelton+.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTteCipc567Tgx9EzT4Z10ZvsvkyT4H3JX5QGW9Z03FfihQDHqrNp6ogq01c-lV6BMhE0iuS4LrAQr-jeUgBycMUFILNnmxXgHxdA2rGXlKmysVnyfzGEwfO6Or1IfJL0brOdHaZEeWCQ/w400-h225/1.+Deborah+%2522Debbie%2522+Shelton+.JPEG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><b>THE ALEJANDRO JODOWORSKY COLLECTION</b> </span><span lang="EN-US">(Arrow Video / ABKCO), <b>BEYOND THE DOOR </b>(Arrow Video), <b>THE BLACK CAT</b> (Severin Films), <b>BLUE MONKEY</b> (Dark Force Entertainment), <b>BRIDES OF DRACULA</b> (Scream Factory), <b>BRIGADE OF DEATH</b> (Film Art), <b>CISCO PIKE</b> (Indicator), <b>CRASH</b> (Arrow Video 4K), <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/03/dangerous-cargo-blu-ray-review_17.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DANGEROUS CARGO</span></a></b> (Mondo Macabro), <b>DEATH WISH 3</b> (Scorpion Releasing), <b>FLASH GORDON</b> (Arrow Video), <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-ghost-breakers-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">THE GHOST BREAKERS</span></a></b> (Kino Lorber Studio Classics), <b>HE CAME FROM THE SWAMP: THE WILLIAM GREFÉ COLLECTION</b> (Arrow Video), <b>HUSBANDS</b> (Criterion Collection), <b>AN IDEAL PLACE TO KILL</b> (Mondo Macabro), <b>KISS OF THE VAMPIRE</b> (Scream Factory), <b><a href="https://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2020/04/malabimba-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">MALABIMBA</span></a></b> (Vinegar Syndrome), <b>MR. NO LEGS</b> (Massacre Video), <b>MOTHRA </b>(Eureka!), <b>NIGHT TIDE</b> (Indicator), <b>PATRICK STILL LIVES</b> (Severin Films), <b>SHIVERS</b> (Vestron Video / Lionsgate), <b>SLEEPLESS</b> (Scorpion Releasing), <b>THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH</b> (Severin Films), <b>SOLDIER BLUE</b> (Kino Lorber Studio Classics), <b>THE TENANT</b> (Scream Factory), <b>THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM </b>(M Square), <b>UNIVERSAL HORROR COLLECTION VOLUMES 4, 5 & 6</b> (Scream Factory), <b>THE UNTOLD STORY</b> (Unearthed Films), <b>WHODUNIT? </b>(Vinegar Syndrome).</span></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, I could not obtain Vinegar Syndrome’s most recent Black Friday releases to review them in time. There’s no doubt that <b>FADE TO BLACK</b> (1980), <b>THE BEASTMASTER</b> (1982), <b>DON’T PANIC</b> (1988), <b>FORGOTTEN GIALLI – VOLUME 2</b>, and <b>SILENT MADNESS</b> (1983) would have probably snuck onto this list as well. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3660398868926467686.post-8213907274372373722020-10-27T07:50:00.003-04:002020-10-27T08:22:04.993-04:00THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE - BLU-RAY REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIx5pMO7NKNh331CAqJyqS9asuYXXImQAPDo2ADMFByaR8mHjMrMbq8en_Hl0Yt5TSPw8hR-Qk8ebSRgrGhj_QZHVKaHLR0SbGfhRt0v0Y4Rx-6ix6bmZgn6j47JlCG-lnVYiS1OW04w/s1920/1.+Guthrie+and+his+pals.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIx5pMO7NKNh331CAqJyqS9asuYXXImQAPDo2ADMFByaR8mHjMrMbq8en_Hl0Yt5TSPw8hR-Qk8ebSRgrGhj_QZHVKaHLR0SbGfhRt0v0Y4Rx-6ix6bmZgn6j47JlCG-lnVYiS1OW04w/w400-h225/1.+Guthrie+and+his+pals.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Brought to life as a direct result of George A. Romero’s now-seminal <b>NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD</b> (1968), Jorge “Jordi” Grau’s highly-atmospheric zombie shocker <b>THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE</b> (1974) is perhaps best known for its scenes of gruesome gut-crunching. And, like its primary source of inspiration, Grau also succeeds in generating a potent aura of claustrophobia and mounting paranoia, and it’s this atmosphere of unease—augmented by a bleakness and overlying sense of morbid dread that’s almost palpable—which remains one of its most memorable assets. Released under many alternate titles and in numerous different versions, <b>THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE</b> has been steadily available in several ‘special editions’ throughout the digital age thus far. However, the recent 3-disc Limited Edition Steelbook from those perfectionists at Synapse Films easily eclipses <i>every</i> single other release that preceded it. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXoyYtTGo45NNk49qAQ3irTMuy9Q4DbRwHp1a515QWRuM9jlQ6W7SPyPNyY0P4753tei6ZCMFO3GK48zJ-fLuPccQ-62zMFy-p8DD88X0mstGTLxC7mFsRE1HmxC7QwKvBqiW-zk32DA/s1920/2.+George.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXoyYtTGo45NNk49qAQ3irTMuy9Q4DbRwHp1a515QWRuM9jlQ6W7SPyPNyY0P4753tei6ZCMFO3GK48zJ-fLuPccQ-62zMFy-p8DD88X0mstGTLxC7mFsRE1HmxC7QwKvBqiW-zk32DA/w400-h225/2.+George.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Ray Lovelock plays George, an art dealer from Manchester, England who is eager to escape the polluted and congested city for a weekend getaway in the country. While zipping through the English countryside on his big, fat, black Norton motorbike (with stylin’ leather biker jacket to match), by pure—if fateful—happenstance he crosses paths with Edna (Cristina Galbó) at a gas station. After she accidentally backs into his parked bike with her car, the understandably angry George coerces her into taking him the rest of the way to his final destination Windermere. However, the flighty Edna explain that she needs to get to the town of Southgate in order to visit her ill-and-ailing sister Katie (Jeannine Mestre) instead. After getting lost along the way, Ray and Edna stop to ask for directions at a farm, where the highly-opinionated George becomes openly critical of a new insect-exterminating gizmo the Department of Agriculture is testing, which uses low-level ultrasonic radiation as a potentially ‘eco-friendly’ alternative to conventional chemical pesticides. As George and Edna soon find out, however, this machine also ‘just happens’ to cause recently-deceased human corpses to rise from their graves and walk the earth anew… </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRys5oWqC8-ud7G_f3CotfxhGdbX-ZmTgugsbKGRTtid6qmmVfpgNeTcMQGFqfNXqtyB5Vi1D5yL2g_nLdFp4XmJr_4Yn7dlekZ0Er78v6VcaeCFYu3Bfou0HS-9oiA1nf9UXkwQIrwA/s1920/3.+Edna.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRys5oWqC8-ud7G_f3CotfxhGdbX-ZmTgugsbKGRTtid6qmmVfpgNeTcMQGFqfNXqtyB5Vi1D5yL2g_nLdFp4XmJr_4Yn7dlekZ0Er78v6VcaeCFYu3Bfou0HS-9oiA1nf9UXkwQIrwA/w400-h225/3.+Edna.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Still-topical in its ecological concerns, <b>THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE</b> is an upscale and highly engrossing Euro-horror from talented Spanish director Jorge Grau, who, a year earlier, had given us the equally-fascinating gothic horror film, <b>THE LEGEND OF BLOOD</b> <b>CASTLE</b> (a.k.a. <b>BLOOD CEREMONY</b> [1973]). Executed with great professionalism across the board, <b>TLDAMM’s</b> measured narrative takes it time to develop via a succession of believable dramatic interactions between its protagonists. In what is undoubtedly one of his most memorable leading roles, Ray Lovelock is excellent as George, the staunch—not to mention exceedingly frustrated and antsy!—eco-activist, who is viewed with surly distrust by most of the locals, as well as by Edna herself in the early stages of their unwitting ‘relationship’. As more and more people are besieged—and brutalized!—by the living dead, leaving a trail of mutilated corpses in their wake, George (thanks to the ever-fickle finger of Fate) falls victim to several unlucky coincidences. Much to his misfortune, he becomes inexorably caught up in the personal machinations of the detective assigned to the case, gruffly played by the great Arthur Kennedy. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kJNs8sEYYmFLb9naoKExdUlm2ZvIX0NFd3LCdBZm9DoVBDx4N89lbSxypdEOrHkNWMtHNuSNtgySpWB2P1wwBYkvVSIfBFmdJSmBZZWYSdUr6ZNPVMldB_xsHncUil8IYKVJU0-2Lg8/s1920/4.+Guthrie+on+the+prowl.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kJNs8sEYYmFLb9naoKExdUlm2ZvIX0NFd3LCdBZm9DoVBDx4N89lbSxypdEOrHkNWMtHNuSNtgySpWB2P1wwBYkvVSIfBFmdJSmBZZWYSdUr6ZNPVMldB_xsHncUil8IYKVJU0-2Lg8/w400-h225/4.+Guthrie+on+the+prowl.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Much like in Romero’s <b>NOTLD</b>, the uglier side of human nature proves to be as big an obstacle to overcome as the living dead themselves. The short-sightedness of Kennedy’s character combined with George’s deep mistrust of the police (“The cops never like to admit they’re wrong!”) results in a number of clashes between the two men from opposite ends of the political spectrum. During one particularly heated moment, Kennedy relishes the opportunity to espouse his unfettered opinion about George and his ‘kind’ when he emphatically declares, “You’re all the same! The <i>lot</i> of you! With your long hair and faggot clothes! Drugs. Sex. Every sort of <i>FILTH</i>!” That said, as the order-barking dick of a detective, Kennedy is such a nasty, stubbornly vindictive character that you just hope he gets his much-deserved comeuppance sooner than later.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDgZqByQMMokDTizmsidzhdKVtJxZG63Rpiq0pi-7nJ4y2aff1ToXlhxghp4nvfWtGFzHsHnH9mNR_OYYhURVkG8gyEzADs_Q022yHRLMfOwOuVwVxO9k61m9LBCMT1icQdDc3DPstN8/s1920/5.+The+Detective.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDgZqByQMMokDTizmsidzhdKVtJxZG63Rpiq0pi-7nJ4y2aff1ToXlhxghp4nvfWtGFzHsHnH9mNR_OYYhURVkG8gyEzADs_Q022yHRLMfOwOuVwVxO9k61m9LBCMT1icQdDc3DPstN8/w400-h225/5.+The+Detective.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Shot almost entirely in England, give or take a few interiors lensed in Spain and Italy, <b>TLDAMM</b> makes the most of its beautiful authentic locales (including Castleton, Derbyshire, which stands in for most of the fictional town of Southgate), many of which are eerily-deserted, and this stark seeming under-population only adds to the impending horror. The opening sequence, which follows George on his motorcycle through the bustling streets of Manchester (including a busty female ‘streaker’ [that quaint social trend of the ’70s!] momentarily jiggling across the road between heavy traffic), initiates this interesting juxtaposition of encroaching industrialization. Set to composer Giuliano Sorgini’s excellent title theme “John Dalton Street,” Grau and his editor Vincenzo Tomassi effectively showcase a civilization teetering on the brink of environmental ruin, cross-cutting between the suffocating, garbage-strewn city streets and the lush open countryside. While <b>NOTLD </b>merely alluded vaguely to the origins of the zombie outbreak, Grau and his writers Sandro Continenza and Marcello Coscia herein directly blame unchecked technological advancement for detrimental effects on our natural ecosystem (“They tampered with nature, and now they must pay the price!” declared U.S. taglines). When George first encounters the aforementioned experimental prototype ‘ultrasonic bug-zapper’, which kills insects and parasites by attacking their nervous systems, he’s quick to dismiss it as “just another machine to pollute the Earth!” But nevertheless, as the film ends, humanity’s inevitable march towards ‘progress’ proves to be unrelenting and unstoppable... </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVThRwGLCaSlkKZxZkF-cwplYxNm85ytf_P12vJw7IJc_L2hNoEMeFjv9z8pMNNjRnJSpfD44jJRZUOdpuUXQFWN5OSHrsIrsDBNm73adiFASn2W3KHyoO3s6zwTJdRULXKcFkE8OKbk/s1920/6.+George+inspects+the+gizmo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVThRwGLCaSlkKZxZkF-cwplYxNm85ytf_P12vJw7IJc_L2hNoEMeFjv9z8pMNNjRnJSpfD44jJRZUOdpuUXQFWN5OSHrsIrsDBNm73adiFASn2W3KHyoO3s6zwTJdRULXKcFkE8OKbk/w400-h225/6.+George+inspects+the+gizmo.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In addition,<b> </b>Grau's film includes several inventive (if unexplained) touches. Besides their unnerving, star-shaped and exceedingly bloodshot eyes, the living dead are also given an inexplicable ability to transmit ‘unlife’ to one another, which they do by dabbing the eyelids of their fellow dead with the blood of the living (i.e., that of their freshly-dead victims). As the film’s primary zombie (a recently-drowned tramp named Guthrie), Fernando Hilbeck fulfills much the same function as Bill Hinzman had in his infamous turn as the first zombie seen in <b>NOTLD</b>. Like Hinzman, Hilbeck’s imposing presence in the present film has also gone on to become iconic. Having earlier appeared in Narcisco Ibáñez Serrador’s superb <b>THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED</b> (1969), pretty Spanish starlet Cristina Galbó (credited here as “Christine Galbo”) also adds immensely to the film as the understandably distraught Edna as she too witnesses the visceral violence perpetrated by the living dead. </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi607JF-6Ok7xojiKOdcXodFyf0CU5kkqFrwrb_SAbqoBFZETTL21xZ_XF34h4ZVm5cyBlzzp_ZRVlpGiOcmUt05YQDdMq8dHJdf_yT1oGjxBou35EIKnQ6eeHxjmwfkhUR6Wq8AnyOxao/s1920/7.+Gut-crunching.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi607JF-6Ok7xojiKOdcXodFyf0CU5kkqFrwrb_SAbqoBFZETTL21xZ_XF34h4ZVm5cyBlzzp_ZRVlpGiOcmUt05YQDdMq8dHJdf_yT1oGjxBou35EIKnQ6eeHxjmwfkhUR6Wq8AnyOxao/w400-h225/7.+Gut-crunching.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Meticulously photographed by Francisco Sempere, the DP’s work herein looks truly <i>splendid</i> on Synapse Films’ new Blu-ray, which boasts a stunningly sumptuous new 4K restoration taken from the original camera negative. Without going into too many specifics, the image is virtually <i>flawless</i>. Without compromising the film’s natural grain structure an iota, this new transfer is unparalleled in its clarity, with richer colours and deeper blacks; it’s all so impressive, you’ll never need (or want) to re-watch it in any other form! The disc provides two DTS-HD MA audio options, including the film’s original 2.0 mono track and a 5.1 remix, both of which, depending on your set-up, sound excellent, giving further prominence to Giuliano Sorgini’s memorable score and unsettling sound design.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGqDH3rfx62zdA-QSpSXlGPm6MWm4xHPq5lEiBMcX48csZqqZ7hR1ODADhqWTiL2F41DH1IyuuDVaDpIV4WMWGfXjlJyAYz_8CS7i4lEVByQ0xmJnigU-lypnMFge4dD3EgsFGsX224E/s1920/8.+Trapped%2521.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGqDH3rfx62zdA-QSpSXlGPm6MWm4xHPq5lEiBMcX48csZqqZ7hR1ODADhqWTiL2F41DH1IyuuDVaDpIV4WMWGfXjlJyAYz_8CS7i4lEVByQ0xmJnigU-lypnMFge4dD3EgsFGsX224E/w400-h225/8.+Trapped%2521.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Extras on Synapse’s disc commence with two separate audio commentaries, starting with author Troy Howarth, who has plenty to discuss. He gets underway with the film’s genesis, then goes into the significance of <b>NOTLD</b> on the genre, addresses <b>TLDAMM</b>’s still-prescient ecologically-conscious themes, as well as how the filmmakers went through a sort of (quote) “checklist” in order to ensure they had all the necessary commercial aspects covered. Howarth also provides an excellent primer on the once-problematic Spanish film industry under Generalisimo Francisco Franco’s (1892-1975) regime, Grau’s lengthy career, Kennedy’s sojourn within European cinema, and much more, making for a well-informed and thoroughly engaging commentary. For the second audio commentary, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cinemaarcana/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Cinema Arcana</span></a>’s Bruce Holecheck and <a href="http://www.mondo-digital.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Mondo Digital</span></a>’s Nathaniel Thompson provide another of their highly-entertaining discussions, which is crammed chock-a-block with <i>tons</i> of invaluable info, plus several fascinating anecdotes too. Both participants are eager to point out that Grau’s film is one of (quote) “the high points of European horror,” then proceed to enthusiastically discuss <b>TLDAMM</b>’s (quote) “surreal, dreamlike quality,” its unique locations, Sorgini’s impressive sound design, the superb cast, special make-up effects artist Gianetto De Rossi, and also some of Grau’s other work, including his vastly-underrated rape/revenge shocker <b>CODE OF HUNTING</b> (1983), as well as his <i>extremely</i> misleadingly-titled crime drama <b>VIOLENT BLOOD BATH</b>(1972). A great listen all round, indeed!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKvwEQjNULrbApaUiB9R-OigZz7F5KT63dRp1SMWmdoQ-A3_DjV1IgBr3avPCDOh0Hilv5RE5CFFBQ9spg2uLuWN4ymZrUMxQV8QXKauOEUCM6vjeAS0-GxAPMtC7_6VboxLW1gDNwA/s1920/9+The+Living+Dead+attack%2521.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKvwEQjNULrbApaUiB9R-OigZz7F5KT63dRp1SMWmdoQ-A3_DjV1IgBr3avPCDOh0Hilv5RE5CFFBQ9spg2uLuWN4ymZrUMxQV8QXKauOEUCM6vjeAS0-GxAPMtC7_6VboxLW1gDNwA/w400-h225/9+The+Living+Dead+attack%2521.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, a trio of featurettes (including the great location doc <b>Back to the Morgue</b>) from Blue Underground’s 2009 Blu-ray have not been carried-over on Synapse’s new disc. Making up for that, they have included several other new extras instead. In the first, <b>Catalonia’s King of Cult</b> (88m58s), Jorge Grau gives a career-spanning interview, most of which (natch!) focuses on this his living dead opus. The doc also includes observations on the film from Kim Newman, Rachael Nisbet, John Martin and others. In the following extras, beginning with <b>Scene of the Crime</b> (15m24s), Eugenio Ercolani interviews special makeup-man Gianetto De Rossi, wherein he discusses his (quote) “perfect artistic relationship” with director Grau, his thoughts and apprehension regarding ‘eyeball violence’ in such films as Lucio Fulci’s <b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2018/12/zombie-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">ZOMBIE</span></a></b> (1979), and his opinions (“<i>Fuck! What I am </i>doing<i>!?</i>”) about his gruesome work on Joe D’Amato’s <b>EMANUELLE IN AMERICA</b> (1976). In the final extra, Ercolani is once again on hand to moderate a very lively Q&A with De Rossi at the (fittingly enough!) Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (44m29s). In it, they relate interesting—and at times hilarious—stories centered around De Rossi’s time working within the U.S. film industry, his contributions to Fabrizio De Angelis’ <a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/11/killer-crocodile-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>KILLER</b> </span></a><b><a href="http://unpoppedcinema.blogspot.com/2019/11/killer-crocodile-blu-ray-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">CROCODILE</span></a> </b>(1989) and its woeful sequel, plus his unexpected return to the fore with Alexandre Aja’s <b>HIGH TENSION</b> (2003). The film’s cool European trailer and an assortment of TV and radio spots conclude the extras.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWKrDAE7H0Gkml-HLM6ha35NBApRjBM4xnZDulffugzRnpLSW2-XUzR5-XXUs9e2ZgdegraURUa9-RD_YHyHS6K8vUjNAIW11RAie3llAehBTrM3PEVQ-X4QWjGaBkAp2zueX_zUvcM8/s1920/10.+The+Detective+Shoots%2521.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWKrDAE7H0Gkml-HLM6ha35NBApRjBM4xnZDulffugzRnpLSW2-XUzR5-XXUs9e2ZgdegraURUa9-RD_YHyHS6K8vUjNAIW11RAie3llAehBTrM3PEVQ-X4QWjGaBkAp2zueX_zUvcM8/w400-h225/10.+The+Detective+Shoots%2521.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Enclosed in an eye-catching Steelbook featuring original cover art by Wes Benscoter (the package comes inside a slipcover illustrated with some of the promotional artwork used on <b>TLDAMM</b>’s foreign releases), this exemplary set also includes a DVD copy of the Blu-ray as well as a 15-track (29m59s) soundtrack CD of Sorgini’s memorable score. An 8-page booklet with an essay from Nicholas G. Schlegel, Ph.D., and extensive restoration notes from Synapse’s very own Don May, Jr. is also included, as is a poster reproduction of Benscoter’s artwork. As greatly appreciated as the beautiful packaging is, though, it’s Synapse’s superior restoration, which goes far above and beyond all usual expectations, that makes their edition of this Euro-horror gem one of the year’s <i>absolute</i> <i>finest</i> releases! Order it from <a href="https://www.synapsefilms.com/product/the-living-dead-at-manchester-morgue-blu-ray-dvd-cd-6000-piece-three-disc-limited-collectors-edition-steelbook/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Synapse Films</span></a> or <a href="https://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/living-dead-at-manchester-morgue-synapse-steelbook-3-disc-cd-dvd-blu-ray-all-region/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DiabolikDVD</span></a>. </div></span></span>Dennis Capicikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14517419249918844648noreply@blogger.com0