EATEN ALIVE! - 4K UHD / BD REVIEW

“When the cannibals attack, I want you to kill me!” exclaims Sheila, making a doom-laden proposition to her jungle guide, Mark. 

Although he is technically credited for launching the so-called ‘Italian cannibal film’ cycle with his gruesome if well-mounted jungle adventure THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER(1972), director Umberto Lenzi’s film – despite featuring a brief, gory bit of anthropophagy – is simply a copy of Elliot Silverstein’s A MAN CALLED HORSE (1970) which transposes that film’s Native American setting over to Southeast Asia instead, and like the Silverstein film, most of the primary promotional materials for Lenzi’s unofficial ‘remake’ likewise centered on its grisly initiation rituals. However, it was the success (or infamy?) of Ruggero Deodato’s LAST CANNIBAL WORLD (a.k.a. JUNGLE HOLOCAUST, 1977) and his harrowing CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1979), which truly kicked-off this questionable ‘body horror’ subgenre into overdrive, resulting in a number of imitations, including Umberto Lenzi’s notorious CANNIBAL FEROX (a.k.a. MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY, 1981) and the present EATEN ALIVE! (1980), one of the more shamelessly entertaining and completely bonkers films the genre had to offer, which even incorporated – and certainly tried to capitalize on – the notoriety of real-life fanatical cult leader Jim Jones and the tragic 1978 mass suicide / massacre he presided over in Jonestown, Guyana.

 

Following a series of baffling murders perpetrated by some low-level assassin by means of “tiny darts dipped in cobra venom” in both Niagara Falls and New York City, our blow-dart killer is, during a moment of panic, run-over by a garbage truck in midtown Manhattan. Soon after, Sheila Morris (Janet Agren), a “good ’ole Southern gal from Alabama”, is summoned to NYC because the police happen to find a canister of 8mm film in the murderer’s pocket (!) – yet another connection to CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST – featuring footage of Sheila’s sister Diana (Paola Senatore) participating in some sort of native ritual involving mondo-styled scenes of suspension piercing. More disconcerting still, though, is her involvement with Jonas (Ivan Rassimov), a “first-class nut”, who has set up camp somewhere in the wilds of New Guinea with his cult of worshippers, a bunch of “ecology freaks”. With the help of Professor Carter (a seriously slumming Mel Ferrer), Sheila heads to New Guinea, where she meets up with Mark (Robert Kerman / a.k.a. Richard Bolla), a Vietnam deserter, who begrudgingly agrees to help locate her sister and, in the midst of some shocking sights, promises the wide-eyed Sheila “you’ll see worse before this is over!” 

 

Unbelievably crass, but highly entertaining, Lenzi’s  cannibal film is a genre-hopping jungle romp, which features some form of indignity and/or gory set-piece every few minutes. However, unlike Deodato’s unforgivably harsh CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, Lenzi’s film is just so slapdash and preposterous that it’s hard to take seriously. Furthermore, Lenzi – rather brazenly – includes footage from a number of previous cannibal flicks, including Deodato’s aforementioned LAST CANNIBAL WORLD (a.k.a. JUNGLE HOLOCAUST, 1976), Sergio Martino’s upscale THE MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD (a.k.a. SLAVE OF THE CANNIBAL GOD, 1978), and also from his very own THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER, which was undoubtedly done to pad the film out with as much gore for a modicum of the cost. Minus some of the film’s obligatory animal cruelty, most of the gory makeup effects are of the “H.G. Lewis” school, but at the same time, it’s hard to deny the effectiveness – and nastiness – of shots showing cannibals slowly eating people alive during one of the film’s climactic sequences, which is done without the use of any music whatsoever and is accompanied by sounds of the natives hungrily chewing on raw flesh, the victims’ dying breaths and birds chirping in the background. It’s certainly a grisly, unforgettable tableau. For the most part though, this is an enjoyable, fast-moving film, which also affords prominent porn-star Kerman / Bolla another leading man role following his turn in CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, and who also gets to perform many of his own stunts; it’s too bad he wasn’t offered more non-adult roles over the course of his lengthy career. Usually cast as the heavy, veteran Eurocult star Ivan Rassimov really gets to chew on the scenery here as well, in what is undeniably, one of his more over-the-top roles as the Jim Jones-inspired (if that’s the right term!) Jonas, who is seen either barking orders, overseeing native sexual rituals or, in yet another one of the film’s more ‘notable’ eyebrow-raising scenes, gleefully participating in some ceremonial mumbo-jumbo involving a drugged Agren, who he seems to perceive as some sort of deity.  

 

Briefly released theatrically by Continental in 1985 as DOOMED TO DIE, which also flaunted a “Banned in 38 Countries” moniker (that’s a whopping 7 more countries than Lenzi’s MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY!), Continental released it soon after on home video in 1986 as THE EMERALD JUNGLE (retitled once again to cash-in on John Boorman’s then-recent THE EMERALD FOREST [1985]), in a colourful, over-sized box, which housed an uncut copy of the film. In the early 2000s, a number of DVDs surfaced in Europe, but at the time, the best release came from Shriek Show in 2002, which included a solid transfer (albeit incorrectly framed at 1.78:1) of this low-budget film and a trio of interviews with Lenzi, Rassimov and Kerman. The film eventually surfaced on Blu-ray in 2018 thanks to Severin, and was most definitely a vast improvement, which included the film’s correct aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and a far more pleasing presentation. And despite the film’s low-budget origins, everything looked damn fine. Unbelievably, the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono also included English, Italian and Spanish options, and in a nice surprise, English subtitles were even included for the Italian audio track, which differs slightly and makes for a highly welcome inclusion. Closed Captions were also included for the English audio.

 

Extras included on Severin’s disc were also plentiful, and these began with Federico Caddeo’s Freak-O-Rama-produced Welcome to the Jungle (16m37s), an on-camera interview with the always enthusiastic Lenzi, who discusses one of his most popular and infamous phases in his long and varied career, beginning with THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER and that film’s inception; apparently it was based on some of Emmanuelle Arsan’s first-hand experiences in Myanmar and Thailand where, according to Lenzi “the nature was wild!” Of course, he goes on to discuss his later films, as well as his dissatisfaction with star Kerman (“…we didn’t have a relationship”), and also Agren’s professionalism. The second, most-substantial extra, was Me Me Lai Bites Back: Resurrection of the Cannibal Queen (79m55s), a feature-length documentary originally included with 88 Films’ THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER U.K. Blu-ray, which runs through her entire career while placing a particular emphasis on her Italian film work. In The Sect of the Purification (13m03s), yet another Freak-O-Rama production, veteran production / costume designer Massimo Antonello Geleng goes into detail about his time in Ceylon and his “instinctive” approach to his work, and how most of EATEN ALIVE!’s “raunchiest scenes” were filmed back at DEAR Studios in Rome. Culled from Shriek Show’s DVD, a pair of archive interviews (12m20s) with Kerman and Rassimov were also included, but were significantly improved upon thanks to some skilled editing. In the last extra, on September 21^st, 2013, Lenzi attended a Q&A at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (23m43s), where he discussed much of the same topics from the previous interviews, including his dislike for these cannibal films, but because they continue to bring in the royalties, he has no choice but to modestly declare them “masterpieces!” The original English-language export trailer (3m13s) finished-off the extras, and in a nice gesture, Severin also included the film’s soundtrack CD (35m40s, 14 tracks) as a bonus.

 

Given the film’s rather patchwork nature and Severin Films’ already impressive Blu-ray set, this didn’t seem like a contender for a UHD upgrade, but their new 2-disc UHD / Blu-ray combo edition manages to wring even more detail out their new transfer with details looking even sharper thanks to the uptick in resolution. The film’s occasionally bold colours (highlighted by the surrounding jungle fauna and glistening viscera) also burst off the screen with a vivacity missing from other disc releases, and while many of the ‘borrowed scenes’ do fluctuate in terms of overall picture quality, the rest of the transfer looks mighty impressive indeed. As with their earlier Blu-ray, Severin once again includes DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono options in both English and Italian with optional English subtitles for the latter track along with SDH subtitles for the English audio. However, the previously included Spanish language track has been left off their new disc. 

 

Outside of the film’s soundtrack CD, Severin have thankfully ported over every extra from their excellent BD disc, but they have also included several new – and very worthy - special features beginning with an audio commentary by Troy Howarth (author of Make Them Die Slowly – The Kinetic Cinema of Umberto Lenzi [WK Books, 2022]) and Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson. From the very start, they are the first to admit that this picture is one of Lenzi’s “grubbiest films” but one that also has “major entertainment value,” which they consider a “big dividing line of Umberto Lenzi’s filmography.” Outside of discussing the film’s low-budget aesthetic, our commentators also touch on the film’s genesis and its producers Luciano Martino and Mino Loy (who also produced Lenzi’s CANNIBAL FEROX the following year), Lenzi’s “explosive temperament” on set, but a director who nonetheless always delivers a professional product, the large amount of borrowed stock footage from other cannibal films, the “pulpy quality” of the gore scenes, the condescending outlook of the “savage culture” portrayed in these films, and the film’s lively and exciting cast. Of course, they address Robert Kerman’s “dueling careers” between adult films and legit films, some of the other adult film actors who appear in the film such as Gerald Grant and Jack Teague, Me Me Lai’s fascinating career, the always “striking and intriguing” Janet Agren (“She’s one of the great ones!”), and Ivan Rassimov’s rather one-dimensional take of Jim Jones, who they usually regard as a very “compelling” actor. As can be deduced from the above description, this is another highly-entertaining and detailed listen, which nicely balances the minutiae related to the film itself, Lenzi’s long and varied career, and the rapidly changing Italian film industry at the time. It’s a great track and one that easily justifies a double-dip for those who already own Severin’s other Blu-ray.

 

Other extras include Deodato Meats Lenzi (13m33s), the only known interview where the two directors discuss their respective cannibal films. Recorded by Manlio Gomarasca in 2004 at the Joe D’Amato Horror Fest in Livorno, Italy, the two men discuss the trials and tribulations of working in genre cinema and how ANAC ((Associazione Nazionale Autori Cinematografici) favoured “so-called auteurs” while they essentially remained “freelancers” and underpaid with producers even blackmailing them into working for very little. Of course, they also discuss their cannibal pictures, beginning with “playboy” producer Giorgio Carlo Rossi and how THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER came together, which eventually led to Deodato directing LAST CANNIBAL WORLD, and how journalists created much of the hype regarding their rivalry. As for the other extras, several minutes of alternate footage (4m15) have been uncovered, which contain a never-before-seen HOLOCAUST 2 title card, and quite a few alternate, and shortened scenes, which may have been prepared for less permissive markets. And if that weren’t enough, Severin have also commissioned Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies’ Claire Donner to pen Eaten Alive! – The Primal Screams of Umberto Lenzi, a sharply written essay included in the nicely-illustrated 17-page liner notes booklet where she discusses Lenzi’s extensive career with obvious emphasis on his notorious gut-munchers.

 

As long as physical media continues to thrive, Severin Films' new 2-disc 4K UHD + Booklet w/Exclusive Slipcover of EATEN ALIVE! will most certainly remain the ultimate edition of this Eurotrash classic. 

THE CAT IN HEAT - BLU-RAY REVIEW

Although featuring one of composer Gianfranco Plenizio’s most distinctive and original scores, Nello Rossati’s THE CAT IN HEAT (1972) has remained a relatively obscure effort for most English-speaking viewers, stuck in that unforgiving no-man’s land between genres. Neither an all-out giallo or erotic drama, this thoughtfully plotted chamber piece emerges as one of Rossati’s more intriguing and compelling films, which is also greatly aided by a pair of uniformly fine performances from Eva Czemerys and Silvano Tranquilli. 

While driving through the desolate, fog-enshrouded motorways of Northern Italy, Paolo (Tranquilli) quietly reflects on his recent marriage to Anna (Czemerys), and through Plenizio’s evocative title theme and Aristide Massaccesi’s moody photography, Rossati effectively establishes a highly-potent and inescapably gloomy atmosphere, which neatly foreshadows the impending predicament. Shattering their already fragmenting marriage, Paolo arrives home and is shocked to discover his neighbour Massimo (Anthony Fontane) dead on his front lawn and his distraught wife in the kitchen staring down at a gun. After haphazardly concealing the body via some leaves, the film becomes something of a psychological mood piece, brooding on the protagonists’ tenuous relationship and what led to the film’s opening murder…

 

Based on an original story by Rossati, THE CAT IN HEAT incorporates many a giallo motif while simultaneously combining elements from Claude Chabrol’s LA FEMME INFIDÈLE (1969), and to a lesser degree, the melodramatics of Douglas Sirk’s ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1956) peeling back the veneer of a seemingly ideal marriage. Through some clever framework, Anna relates what led to the murder via flashbacks (“He was my lover. And I murdered him.”), which eventually reveals the prestige and sense of security assured by her marriage to a wealthy businessman such as Paolo is no replacement for the love and attention she so obviously craved (“A woman needs some romance, and above all, be wanted.”). Through her hermitically sealed home of material privilege, Massimo’s almost otherworldly visage haunts Anna to such a degree that their mutually exclusive worlds eventually collide, leading to a spurious love affair and even an LSD-drenched orgy (“Now we can make it a foursome.”), a typical heightened fantasy nightmare of many ’Seventies gialli. 

 

Although making token allusions to the fanciful title (“When you’re in heat, any man will do I’ll bet!” Remarks Massimo rather callously), this is a more ‘artistically’ inclined picture, which conveys meaning through visual cues such as the film’s rather sombre opening and Franco Bottari’s relatively sparse art direction, which further suggests the emptiness of Paolo’s and Anna’s marriage. Although visually very savvy and well-constructed (Lamberto Bava also served as the film’s assistant director), it’s the sincere performances, which allowed Rossati to transcend the rather ordinary material. As the morally conflicted and unsatisfied Anna, Czemerys is the star in every sense herein unveiling a torrent of anger and sadness throughout the film, which is even depicted in some the picture’s more exploitable scenes where she heeds her urges and disrobes to examine her naked body in front of a mirror. Veteran actor Tranquilli is also thoroughly convincing as the emotionally wounded but uptight businessman who manages to coax some sympathy out of his earnestly aggrieved husband, straddling the ethical twilight zone between protecting his wife and his reputation, which provides a vibrant social comment on bourgeois hypocrisy. 

 

Never released on North American VHS or disc, Austria’s Cineploit Records & Discs really came to the rescue of this little-seen film with their impressive “worldwide 2K Blu-ray premiere” (Region B locked), which exemplifies plenty of depth and appropriate grain textures, which gives considerable prominence to Massaccesi’s beautifully refined and shadowy photography. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono tracks, which include English and Italian options (the latter with English subtitles) also sound clean and free of any issues, and it’s great to finally have the English dub readily available, which includes well-known voice talent such as Susan Spafford and Frank Von Kuegelgen. Optional German subtitles are also included.

 

Extras begin with an introduction by Mark Thompson Ashworth (5m43s) where he discusses this “perplexing and quite intriguing crossbreed” as well as film’s very “disparate” themes and temporal shifts, and of course, Plenizio’s wonderful score and Edda dell’Orso’s sublime voice. In the archival Calling the Nurse (23m04s), which originally appeared on No Shame’s DVD of THE SENSUOUS NURSE (1975), director Rossati and costume and production designer Toni Rossati are interviewed and mostly discuss their time working in the industry and how they came to be involved with the film, and even though they don’t discuss the film at hand, it’s a nice document of their working process. In the final featurette, Christian Kessler is interviewed (13m28s) where he also talks about the difficulty of classifying Rossati’s sophomore effort, which was usually regarded as an erotic film, sexuality in Italian cinema, the influence of Salvatore Samperi’s MALICIOUS (1973), and how the film “follows in the footsteps of Chabrol.” A brief poster, photo and video art gallery (1m14s) concludes the special features.

 

Housed in one of Cineploit’s customary Mediabooks with a choice of two different styles (as of this writing Cover A is now sold out), this rather striking release also comes with a 28-page liner notes booklet with writing by Uto Rotenberg (in German and English), which also includes several photos of worldwide promotional material on the film and a nice fold-out poster. Order the Blu-ray from Cineploit Records & Discs or DiabolikDVD. 

THE CULT OF AGFA TRAILER SHOW - BLU-RAY REVIEW

Eagerly delivering another assortment of drive-in intermissions, fast-food snipes, commercial ads, and loads of amazing film trailers, this direct follow-up to THE AGFA HORROR TRAILER SHOW from 2021 quickly establishes another high-energy party landscape, and as anyone familiar with AGFA’s previous Mystery Mixtapes, this is much more than just a collection of coming attractions. Moving at lightning-fast intensity, this is without a doubt AGFA’s most heavily stylized effort, which is given an extra jolt of adrenalin (“There’s something special in the air. Something magical. Can you feel it? Magic… everywhere!”) by way of some ingenious – and very dynamic – cutting. Weaving together the usual showtime countdowns (“Show Starts in 3 minutes!”) alongside commercials for Lee designer jeans, Activision video games, and some of the most infamous PSAs from the ’Eighties (“This stuff is crack. The most addictive form of cocaine.”), this extraordinary tapestry of pop culture obsession brilliantly succeeds in attaining a terrific audiovisual harmony, which is every bit as eye-popping and ear-shattering as you might expect.  

Fascinating to watch, the integration of the film trailers is also exceptional whose excesses are frequently interwoven into the nostalgically dated proceedings (the complete trailers are also present elsewhere on the disc) beginning with Jamie Luk’s ROBOTRIX (1991), an insane Hong Kong take on ROBOCOP (1987), which is immediately followed by the family-friendly C.H.O.M.P.S. (“A bite-sized, motorized, transistorized, computerized, bundle of teeth!”, 1979) about a mechanical guard dog. Of course, being an ’Eighties-centric compilation, it’s not surprising to see Penelope Spheeris’ THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: THE METAL YEARS (1988) get some love, which nicely segues into another decibel shattering preview for The Shaw Brothers’ SEX BEYOND THE GRAVE (1984), one of the studio’s many wild horror outings from the period. Quickly switching gears yet again, Peter Jackson’s one-of-a-kind MEET THE FEEBLES (“The adult puppet movie with something to offend everyone!”, 1989) is up next, while Gregg Araki’s rather polarizing ’Nineties indie THE DOOM GENERATION (1995) perfectly summarizes AGFA’s creatively courageous aesthetic in their wild comingling of art and trash. 

 

Bolstered by additional overly-keen big budget commercials for the likes of General Electric (which features an entire slew of new wave styled characters from Gary Numan’s worst fucking nightmare), Dr. Pepper (“Out of the ordinary. Like you.”) and Worlds of Wonder’s Lazer Tag, other no less significant trailers include a highly-condensed – and far-better – preview for the Showtime stinker THE BIRDS II: LANDS END (1994), Frank Henenlotter’s BRAIN DAMAGE (“It will turn you inside out!”, 1988), another condensed cut of Sun Classics’ THE MYSTERIOUS MONSTERS (1975), the Jerry Lewis misfire SLAPSTICK OF ANOTHER KIND (1982), the Something Weird Video obscurity THE SINS OF RACHEL (“The oldest, newest, dirtiest, cleanest, detective story you’ve seen in years!”, 1972), MEATBALLS 4: TO THE RESCUE (1992), which features Corey Feldman and Jack (ERASERHEAD) Nance (!), Marcelo Epstein’s breakdancing extravaganza BODY ROCK (1984) with Lorenzo Lamas, the ludicrously-titled Hong Kong action film TOUGH BEAUTY AND THE SLOPPY SLOP (1995), Hal Needham’s endearingly popular RAD (1986), Adrian Lyne’s superb directorial debut FOXES (1980), more ’Eighties nostalgia with Fritz Kiersch’s TUFF TURF (1985), a couple of Manson family previews, Tina Hirsch’s MUNCHIES (“They’re Cute. They’re Cuddly. They’re Out For Blood.”, 1987), and a very amusing trailer for Jackie Kong’s BLOOD DINER (1987) hosted by the world famous “Gore-Met, Phil A. Mignon.” Reworked with the utmost style, this is just a smattering of delights which await viewers in this jumble of fast-moving clips, making this one of AGFA’s most prestigious and enjoyable trailer compilations yet.

 

Preserved from a “newly struck 35mm theatrical print of the show,” all of the inherent flaws in the various trailers and clips include the usual speckles of dirt and debris, and some occasional faded colour, but everything still looks nicely detailed and very strong. Adding plenty of aural intensity, the DTS HD 2.0 mono audio also sounds terrific, even with all the customary pops and crackles. Special features begin with an audio commentary from the entire team at AGFA who enthusiastically discuss these “incredible time capsules” alongside their recollections of first seeing these films via cable-TV, film festivals, and videocassette. They also go into great detail on how everything was pieced together, their many interesting editing choices, and why many of the trailers have been abbreviated. Like the show itself, this is briskly-paced listen with everyone having lots to say about the production and the films themselves. Additional special features include Rated R (8m35s), another quick-fire mix of TV-spot title cards from a wide variety of films, the hallucinogenic The Day The Earth Got Free Richard Pryor’s Photos (3m26s), and the entirely bizarre Just When You Thought It Was Safe (3m30s), ensure that THE CULT OF AGFA TRAILER SHOW is yet another consistently enjoyable must-have disc! Order it from Vinegar Syndrome. 

UNPOPPED CINEMA’S TOP 25 BEST 4K AND BLU-RAY DISCS OF 2024

This was another transformational year for Blu-rays and 4K discs, which proves once again that physical media continues to flourish, even in today’s predominantly driven collector’s market. Thanks to essential, hard-working ‘boutique’ labels at the forefront of this ‘golden age’ of physical media, we have seen immaculate 4K discs of much-beloved ’80s classics like Robert Harmon’s THE HITCHER (1986) from Second Sight Films, several stunningly curated box sets like Severin Films’ ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS – A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR VOLUME 2, and an abundance of previously unreleased and/or highly-requested films like Michael Mann’s THE KEEP (1983) from Vinegar Syndrome, to name just a few. It’s been an amazing year, so without further delay, let’s dig in and take a look at Unpopped Cinema’s favourite 4K and Blu-ray discs of 2024!

 

ALL THE HAUNTS BE OURS – A COMPENDIUM OF FOLK HORROR VOLUME 2 [1952 – 2024] (Severin Films) – As remarkable and thorough as Severin’s first folk horror box set was, their second volume (again curated by the amazing and seemingly tireless Kier-La Janisse) turns out to be even more impressive. Spread out over 13-discs, this latest set collects together another staggering array of folk horror films (including a couple of productions made specifically for this set) from all over the world, which are sure to please and surprise even the most jaded cinephiles. Some of the many highlights include new restorations of undeniable classics like John Llewellyn Moxey’s THE CITY OF THE DEAD (a.k.a. HORROR HOTEL, 1960) and Don Sharp’s PSYCHOMANIA (1973), alongside several previously unseen treasures, which include Yoshihiro Ishikawa’s BAKENEKO: A VENGEFUL SPIRIT (1968),  Mike De Leon’s THE RITES OF MAY (1976) from the Philippines, Sisworo Gautama Putra’s Indonesian SUNDELBOLONG (1981) with the amazing Suzzanna (who is even afforded a feature-length documentary in David Gregory’s SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC [2024]), Gwaai Edenshaw’s and Helen Haig-Brown’s Canadian EDGE OF THE KNIFE (2018), the “world’s first Haida-language feature film”, and plenty more besides! Of course, all of the features also include a bounty of special features (which are too numerous to mention) to help contextualize the mythos of each film and their place within the world of folk horror. And if that weren’t enough, this attractively-designed box set also includes a booklet with detailed information on each film, and a 252-page (!) hardcover book, which collects “newly-commissioned folk horror fiction” from writers that include Kim Newman, Ramsey Campbell, and Eden Royce, to name just a few. Exceptional in every way, this easily ranks as one of, if not, the best release of the year!

                                                                                                                                                                                            

BLONDE ON A BUM TRIP [1968] (Distribpix, Inc.) – One of the most jaw-dropping sexploitation films to come out of the Distribpix vaults, this extraordinary bit of New York lensed counterculture tells a fairly conventional story of an innocent girl who gets mixed-up with the wrong crowd, but director Raf Mauro and writers Ed Adlum (director of INVASION OF THE BLOOD FARMERS [1972]) and Jack Bravman instill their film with an unforgettably heady atmosphere and plenty of lascivious behaviour: drug parties, lots of simulated sex, choice dialogue (“Sock it to me, baby!”), and several catchy songs from the likes of The E-Types, The Vagrants, and Bit A’Sweet make this sexploitation scare film one of the best of the bunch. As with Distribpix’s earlier release of Michael Findlay’s THE FLESH TRILOGY, viewers will be gobsmacked at the picture-perfect clarity of the 4K scan, which also comes packed with a ton of magnificently enlightening special features including a pair of audio commentaries with Adlum and Mauro (moderated by the late great Howie Pyro) and one with Bravman and Distribpix’s Steven Morowitz. Other extras include a few LSD scare films from the SWV vaults, the film’s theatrical trailer and a thick booklet with writing from Pyro and Something Weird Video’s Lisa Petrucci. And let’s not forget about Distribpix’s other must-have collaborations with SWV from 2024, which include the Joe Sarno double-feature THE BED AND HOW TO MAKE IT (1966) and NUDE IN CHARCOAL (1961), and their triple feature RON SULLIVAN: THE EARLY YEARS. Do yourself a favour, and grab those too!

BLOOD-A-RAMA TRIPLE FRIGHTMARE II [1964 – 1966] (AGFA) – Following their first BLOOD-A-RAMA TRIPLE FRIGHTMARE Blu-ray from 2021, AGFA’s real coup here is the restoration of the once thought-to-be-lost uncut version of Richard S. Flink’s and Gordon H. Heaver's ‘gore’ film LOVE GODDESSES OF BLOOD ISLAND (a.k.a. SIX SHE’S AND A HE, 1964), which was made in the wake of Herschell Gordon Lewis’ BLOOD FEAST (1963). Previously available as an incomplete version only (the film first showed up as an excerpt on Something Weird Video’s double feature DVD of William Grefe’s DEATH CURSE OF TARTU [1966] and STING OF DEATH [1966]), the missing elements were recently located at the Library of Congress (thanks to Vinegar Syndrome’s Joe Rubin) while another 35mm print was being stored at the Harvard Film Archive! Add to all this, newly-remastered editions of T.L.P. Swicegood’s THE UNDERTAKER AND HIS PALS (1966) and Richard W. Bomont’s sadistic short subject FOLLOW THAT SKIRT (1965), along with a bevy of trailers, intermission shorts and “drive-in snipes” (which can also be watched in one long uninterrupted program), and you’ve got a treasure-trove of weird delights in the best tradition of Something Weird Video’s heyday.

 

BLOODLINE [1979] (Vinegar Syndrome Labs) – Based upon Sidney Sheldon’s novel of the same name, this was one of Audrey Hepburn’s last starring roles, which saw her reunite with her WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967) director Terence Young. A big budget giallo whodunit, BLOODLINE weaves a decidedly intricate web, where just about everybody involved has got a dirty secret or even a dusty skeleton (sometimes even two) hanging in their closet. When pharmaceutical magnate Sam Roffe dies during a mountain climbing ‘accident’ in Switzerland, his estranged daughter (Audrey Hepburn) becomes her father’s successor as president of a vast business empire, but when she decides not to sell off the company, her “jet-set” cousins, who also have their eyes on the fortune, try to convince her otherwise as a killer tries to whittle down the opposition. Despite the film’s poor critical notices and some rather ridiculous scripting, this still manages to be an absorbing and highly entertaining picture with a plot that is simple enough, even with all the ulterior motives, blind ambition and blackmail set within the film’s large canvas. Plus, the large cast of veteran stars which include Ben Gazzara, James Mason, Romy Schneider, Omar Sharif, Irene Papas, and Gert Frobe, doesn’t hurt the film’s entertainment value one bit. Long-unavailable on North American home video, VS have really come to the rescue of this fascinating – but equally flawed – film with a gorgeous 4K transfer taken from the original camera negative, which allows Freddie Young’s photography to shine in all its splendour. On the extras front, Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson and author Troy Howarth also provide one of their many detailed audio commentaries, alongside a couple on-camera interviews with the film’s second assistant director and stunt driver. However, the most surprising extra is the inclusion of the long-unseen 141-minute television version, which goes a long way to help better explain some of the film’s more convoluted plotlines. While not for everyone, it’s great to have this back in circulation and looking so good. 

 

THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS [1972] (Celluloid Dreams) – Easily ranking with the very best of its kind, this wonderful Italian giallo made its worldwide 4KUHD debut earlier this year as Celluloid Dreams’ inaugural release, which looks nothing short of phenomenal. Porting over all of the special features from Shameless’ 2018 Blu-ray, CD have also included a newly-filmed interview with the film’s writer Ernesto Gastaldi, a thorough image gallery, and an outstanding audio commentary from CD’s Guido Henkel. An easy buy for fans and newcomers alike, Celluloid Dreams’ debut release is a real knockout which comes highly recommended! Read review.

 

FORGOTTEN GIALLI – VOLUME 7 [1983 – 1987] (Vinegar Syndrome) – In what is perhaps one of their more interesting collections in this long-running series, VS brings together Carlo Vanzina’s MYSTERE (1983), Piccio Raffanini’s OBSESSION – A TASTE FOR FEAR (1987) and Franco Ferrini’s SWEETS FROM A STRANGER (1987), a trio of distinctive and equally ambitious gialli from the ’80s, which effectively demonstrate how some of this material can be spun in new and exciting ways. Packaged in one of their customary hard boxes, this superb 3-disc set comes equipped with insightful audio commentaries, and a multitude of on-camera interviews, which even include directors Raffanini, Ferrini, and Carlos’ brother Enrico, and go a long way to help better appreciate these once truly “forgotten gialli.” Read review.

 

THE GAME OF CLONES – BRUCEPLOITATION COLLECTION VOL. 1 [1974 – 1984] (Severin Films) - With the sudden passing of actor Bruce Lee in 1973, who was on the cusp of worldwide superstardom, and whose last film, Robert Clouse’s ENTER THE DRAGON (1973) had just hit theatres, seldom have filmmakers and distributors sought so earnestly to take advantage of – and even camouflage - Bruce Lee’s death with a seemingly endless stream of rip-offs, spin-offs and wannabe sequels, which have since become known as Bruceploitation films. Capped off by David Gregory’s ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (2023), a fascinating deep-dive documentary on the subject, this 8-disc, 14-film box set (co-curated by martial artist, actor, and Bruceploitation Bible head honcho Michael Worth and Hong Kong film historian Frank Djeng) finally sheds some light on these highly-entertaining kung fu films with an embarrassment of riches in the form of audio commentaries and several expertly-produced special features, which easily makes this superb box set one of the very best releases of the year! Read the review in three parts here (1), here (2), and here (3).

 

HANDGUN [1983] (Fun City Editions) – The alluring mystique of the Gun and the empowerment it endows to the powerless was by no means a new topic to Hollywood, as evidenced in Michael Winner’s treatise on gun violence in the original DEATH WISH (1974). Proceeding from a similar fundamental basis (albeit from the opposite political viewpoint), Tony Garnett’s thought-provoking HANDGUN (a.k.a. DEEP IN THE HEART) stars Karen Young as Kathleen, a schoolteacher from Boston who has accepted a new job in Dallas. When she is set up with a successful lawyer and eligible bachelor named Larry (Clayton Day), who believes in Texas’ social climate of justifying the use of a gun for defense or person, family, and property, his outwardly friendly demeanour soon changes for the worse when she rejects his advances, and he takes what he wants at gunpoint. Of course, as further threats increase, so do Karen’s protective measures, which sees her half-heartedly purchase a gun (an obvious illustration of the dangers this form of self-defense entails), who then proves to be a natural born marksman, exceeding most of the men at the local sharpshooting range. While HANDGUN has all the earmarks of a typical revenge-meller, British director Garnett has a very different viewpoint in this socio-politically aware drama, which is skillfully anchored by Karen Young’s naturalistic performance and her steadily mounting apprehension, even as she seeks revenge. Although extras are rather light, Fun City have included a solid audio commentary from film historians Erica Shultz and Chris O’Neill, a brief archival interview with the director, and an excellent booklet with writing from the always astute Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. 

 

HIGH CRIME [1973] (Blue Underground) – In addition to being ace action director Enzo G. Castellari’s (a.k.a. Enzo Girolami) inaugural Eurocrime outing, HIGH CRIME became a huge box office success in Italy and other parts of Europe, and, as with Stefano Vanzina’s THE EXECUTION SQUAD (1972), was a major influence on a whole wave of ’70s Italian cop films (especially those starring Maurizio Merli, whose career it launched via VIOLENT ROME). In this way-above-par effort, Franco Nero stars as Commissioner Belli, an enraged squadra volonte (“Flying Squad”) cop who is on the sniff for the Lebanese connection in the dope-saturated port city of Genoa. Pumped along by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis’ fast-paced score, Castellari directs with an exciting panache where violence is bloody and sadistic, and is sometimes delivered in Peckinpahesque slo-mo, a typical Castellari trademark. Finally affording this seminal Eurocrime picture the respect it deserves, Blue Underground’s 3-disc set (which includes one UHD, one Blu-ray, and a soundtrack CD) features a stunning 4K restoration of the film’s uncut version, and several topnotch special features including three (!) separate audio commentary tracks (which for the record include one with director Enzo G. Castellari and BU’s William Lustig, one with Franco Nero and Mike Malloy, and lastly with film historians Nathaniel Thompson, Troy Howarth and Eugenio Ercolani), and a wealth of on-camera interviews with Castellari, Nero, actor/stuntman Massimo Vanni, the De Angelis brothers, and plenty more besides! HIGH CRIME is a long-time favourite, and should become one of yours as well!

THE HITCHER [1986] (Second Sight Films) – Over the last few years, U.K. based label Second Sight Films have become one of the more exciting boutique labels around with their impressive slate of all-encompassing box sets. Still absent on North American UHD (or even Blu-ray for that matter), Robert Harmon’s THE HITCHER follows a rather rudimentary premise about a young man (C. Thomas Howell) who is tormented by a psychotic hitchhiker (Rutger Hauer), but Harmon’s complete mastery of the medium (and Eric Red’s tight script) is such that he places the viewer dead-centre amongst the action while gradually exploring the psyche of each character; it’s quite unlike anything else he ever directed, which is one of the reasons it’s such an absolute gem. Featuring a pristine 4K transfer supervised by director Harmon (which helps better appreciate the amazing work of DP John Seale), the limited-edition set includes numerous audio commentaries, several newly-filmed and archival interviews, a 200-page (!) hardback book, and the film’s original screenplay, all of which is set inside a beautifully-designed rigid box. Needless to say, this comes highly recommended!

 

HOLLYWOOD 90028 [1973] (Grindhouse Releasing) – Sometimes known as THE HOLLYWOOD HILLSIDE STRANGLER, this moody character study follows Mark (Christopher Augustine) who plods away making porn loops for a living, even as he aspires to be a real cameraman. In between work, he cruises the local strip joints and peep shows looking for women to strangle. Although primarily marketed as a sleazy horror film, Christina Hornisher’s picture is both cerebral and horrific in its portrayal of alienation and loneliness, and much like Martin Scorsese’s subsequent TAXI DRIVER (1976), the film attains an unsettling harmony between gritty urban realism and surreal lapses into fantastic wish-fulfilment. By far one of the best discoveries of the year, Grindhouse Releasing brings this forgotten mini-masterpiece to home video in typically grand fashion with their 3-disc set, which features yet another stellar restoration, tons of special features (including the alternate TWISTED THROATS reissue version), a soundtrack CD of Basil Poledouris’ score, and a bunch of hidden Easter eggs, which further sweeten an already amazing release.

 

THE HOUSES OF DOOM [1989] (Cauldron Films) - Oft-neglected and lesser-appreciated, these made-for-TV Italo horror pictures included in this superb 4-disc box set (which for the record include Lucio Fulci’s THE HOUSE OF CLOCKS [1989] and THE SWEET HOUSE OF HORRORS [1989], and Umberto Lenzi’s THE HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT [1989] and THE HOUSE OF LOST SOULS [1989]) finally get the respect they deserve in this highly-welcome Blu-ray collection, which not only includes excellent 2K restorations of each film, but a wealth of special features including audio commentaries, a ton of on-camera interviews courtesy of Eugenio Ercolani, and two soundtrack CDs! Read review. 

 

THE HUNGRY SNAKE WOMAN [1986] (Mondo Macabro) – Whenever a new Indonesian horror film is announced for release, it will most likely be a remarkable delight, but nothing can prepare viewers for this not-to-be-missed bit of insanity from genre specialist Sisworo Gautama Putra and Indonesian “Queen of horror” Suzzanna. Although light on special features (the limited red case edition does contains an excellent 16-page booklet from MM’s Pete Tombs), this is one of the most purely enjoyable releases of the year, and for that alone, it’s reason enough to celebrate. 

 

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE / THE SEVENTH VICTIM [1943] (Criterion Collection) – Produced by Val Lewton, it’s great to finally have these moodily mono-chromatic gems on 4K and Blu-ray, which easily rank with the best genre offerings the decade - or any decade for that matter - had to offer. It goes without saying that Criterion’s new 4K editions of Jacques Tourneur’s I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) and Mark Robson’s THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) is the optimal way to go for those who want to see these atmospheric classics at their absolute best, both of which are nicely complimented by several wonderful special features. 

 

INSIDE THE MIND OF COFFIN JOE [1964 – 2008] (Arrow Video) – Considering José Mojica Marins’ enduring cult status, it’s rather surprising it took so long for a box set of his films to finally materialize on North American disc. Gathering together most of his iconic classics, there’s much to appreciate in this set including new 4K transfers of each film and a huge selection of special features (which also includes a nicely-illustrated collector’s book) in a release that a cinematic luminary such as Marins truly deserves. 

 

THE KEEP [1983] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Thanks to their collaboration with Paramount Pictures, it’s great to see VS finally dig this picture out of the vaults, and while it remains deeply-flawed, Michael Mann’s sophomore theatrical effort is every bit as slick and mesmerizing as his many crime sagas, which looks stunning on this much-desired 4K disc. A perfect case of style-over-substance, most of the actors do their damnedest to keep the convoluted mumbo-jumbo narrative from spiraling out of control, but Alex Thomson’s breathtaking photography and John Box’s remarkable production design are a real feast for the eyes, and along with Tangerine Dream’s haunting synth score help elevate THE KEEP out of the darkness. 

 

LITTLE DARLINGS [1980] (Cinématographe) – Garnering a large cult status over the years, Ron F. Maxwell’s ahead-of-its-time, coming of age picture starring teen superstars Kristy MacNichol and Tatum O’Neal fell by the wayside following it’s VHS and LaserDisc releases due to the usual music licensing issues. Well, thanks to Vinegar Syndrome’s sub-label Cinématographe, they have finally cleared up all those pesky problems with Paramount Pictures and brought the film to both 4K and Blu-ray as their inaugural release. Loaded with special features, which even includes a fascinating audio commentary with the film’s director, let’s hope this wonderful release will allow more people to discover this hidden gem of American cinema. 

 

LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR [1977] (Vinegar Syndrome) – Mired in music licensing hell for decades, Richard Brooks’ darkly fascinating picture finally makes its official worldwide disc debut (in glorious 4K, no less!) in what is yet another liberation from the Paramount vaults. Based on Judith Rossner’s 1975 best-selling true-crime novel of the same name, Diane Keaton stars as Theresa Dunn, an amiable inner-city schoolteacher of deaf children who rebels against her conservative upbringing by cruising the local dive bars and late-night discos looking for love any way she can find it, which eventually leads to some increasingly violent altercations. Anchored by Keaton’s memorable performance, she commands the screen right from the get-go with a brilliant, multi-layered portrayal of a women who maintains that she is “alone, not lonely” even as she endures the violent and possessive nature of the many men she meets. Despite the picture’s poor critical notices during its initial theatrical release, this remains one of the essential works of the ’70s, which looks dazzling on this must-own, extras-filled disc.  

 

A MAN ON HIS KNEES [1979] (Radiance Films) – One of director Damiano Damiani’s lesser-seen, but no less compelling Sicilian crime dramas about irredeemable human corruption, the film stars Giuliano Gemma as a reformed-car-thief-turned-small-businessman Nino Peralta, who is inadvertently targeted as part of a major underworld purge, but then decides to plead his case to contract killer killer Antonio Platamone (Michele Placido). Occasionally prone to unpredictable bursts of unglamourized violence, both Gemma and Placido give highly credible performances in this thoughtfully plotted, well-scripted picture, which is well-supported via Radiance Films’ beautiful 4K restoration and a nice selection of special features including interviews with Gemma, actor Tano Cimarosa, and assistant director Mino Giarda. An excellent booklet with writing from Roberto Curti is also included.

 

NINJA TERMINATOR [1986] (Neon Eagle Video) – Of all the countless ninja movies produced during the ’80s and ’90s courtesy of Joseph Lai’s notorious IFD Films, this Godfrey Ho bit of insanity is easily one of the company’s crowning jewels. Featuring a remarkable restoration, this new disc looks and sounds terrific, and benefits tremendously from the boost in picture quality. As was typical for this kind of low-rent fare, much of the film was taken from an existing source, this time from Kim Si-hyun’s THE UNIVITED GUEST OF THE STAR FERRY (1984), which is also included on this two-disc limited edition alongside an ample number of special features that also incorporates a lengthy IFD Ninja Trailer Reel and a 40-page perfect bound book.

 

OPERA [1987] (Severin Films) – Back in 2019, Scorpion Releasing’s 3-disc set of Dario Argento’s “last true masterpiece” landed on Unpopped Cinema’s year-end list, which was touted as “the final word on the film”, but here we are again five years later with Severin Films’ epic five-disc set (!), which easily outclasses Scorpion’s previous release.  Encompassing one UHD, three Blu-rays and a soundtrack CD, Severin’s newly scanned 4K restoration (in HDR-compatible Dolby Vision) doesn’t disappoint with Argento’s extremely strong visuals and stunning sound design looking and sounding the best they ever have. As usual, Severin have packed their set with tons of illuminating audio commentaries, alternate presentations, documentaries (including The Eyes of Opera with the film’s elusive star Cristina Marsillach), interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and so much more! It really is an embarrassment of riches and more than enough incentive to double or even triple dip, so grab it before it disappears!

 

RED TO KILL [1994] (Error_4444) – One of the most outrageous Category III films ever conceived, this unrelenting rape/revenge film definitely pushes the limits with its supremely nasty subject matter, but it’s filmed with such stylistic flare, it’s virtually impossible to ignore, and remains one of director Billy Tang’s most unforgettable – and certainly most challenging – films. Featuring a new “2K uncut restoration”, the film looks fantastic, which is ably complimented by a host of informative special features including a terrific, well-researched audio commentary from Cinema Arcana’s Bruce Holecheck and Ultra Violent’s Art Ettinger. And for those that can’t get enough, Error_4444 also released Billy Tang’s RUN AND KILL (1993), Billy Tang’s other Category III film, which also comes highly-recommended.

 

RUSS MEYER’S VIXEN TRILOGY [1968 – 1979] (Severin Films) – Given Severin Films’ already stacked release schedule this past year, they performed a real miracle when they also secured the home video rights to Russ Meyer’s highly-sought after catalogue. Featuring stellar restorations (VIXEN was sourced in conjunction with the Musuem of Modern Art [MoMA] who held the film elements), these 4K and Blu-ray releases (which also include SUPERVIXENS [1975] and BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE ULTRAVIXENS [1979]) are shockingly good in terms and clarity and detail, which make the director’s audacious filmmaking style really come to life, but Severin have also gone the extra mile and produced many new special features and ported over tons of existing extras as well, which go a long way to help better appreciate the broader career and genius that is Russ Meyer. This trio of releases is an occasion that needs to be applauded. 

 

SEX APOCALYPSE [1982] (Mondo Macabro) – Difficult to see in anything resembling a watchable copy for decades, this may be the quintessential example of a “S Clasificada” picture (low-budget programmers, which incorporated large doses of sex and/or violence into their storylines), which director Carlos Aured serves up with scuzzy, unapologetic gusto. Highlighted by a detailed audio commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, and an exceptional on-camera interview with director / screenwriter / actor Richard Vogue who provides a very thorough history of these sex-filled extravaganzas, MM have also included the film’s alternate 106m hardcore version [!], which was made available on their initial limited ‘red case’ edition. Oozing sheer, undiluted sleaze, Carlos Aured’s SEX APOCALYPSE is certainly not for all tastes, but Mondo Macabro’s pristine Blu-ray ranks alongside some of the label’s most unforgettable and eye-opening releases to date! Read review.

 

TRICK OR TREAT [1986] (Red Shirt Pictures & Synapse Films) – Sold out in a matter of days, this outstanding 3-disc limited edition set of director Charles Martin Smith’s ’80s heavy metal horror classic not only pulls a beautiful 4K transfer from the film’s original camera negative (approved by DP Robert Elswit, no less!), but more special features than one expects with many of the principal cast and crew, which is topped off by Rock & Shock: The Making of Trick or Treat, a terrific feature-length documentary. This elaborate set also comes with the film’s CD soundtrack album, which only sweetens an already must-have package. 

 

HIGHLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS, which are also very worthy of your time and your hard-earned cash!

 

2020 TEXAS GLADIATORS (Severin Films UHD/BD/CD combo), THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (Second Sight Films BD), BURIAL GROUND (Severin Films UHD/BD), CALIGULA (Umbrella Entertainment UHD/BD), CONAN THE BARBARIAN (Arrow Video UHD), THE CULT OF AGFA TRAILER SHOW (AGFA BD), GODDBYE UNCLE TOM (Blue Underground UHD/BD/CD combo), DAIEI GOTHIC JAPANESE GHOST STORIES (Radiance Films BD), DANZA MACABRA VOLUME THREE – THE SPANISH GOTHIC COLLECTION (Severin Films BD), EYEBALL (88 Films UHD/BD), HEAVENLY BODIES (Fun City Editions BD), HUSH (Scream Factory UHD/BD), I WANT TO GET EVEN (Neon Eagle Video BD), INTREPIDOS PUNKS / VENGEANCE OF THE PUNKS (Vinegar Syndrome BD), INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (Kino Lorber UHD/BD), PAPER MOON (Criterion Collection UHD/BD), PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID (Criterion Collection UHD/BD), PHASE IV(Vinegar Syndrome UHD/BD), PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (Radiance BD), THE ROARING TWENTIES (Criterion Collection UHD/BD), SATANIK (Terror Vision BD), SLAP THE MONSTER ON PAGE ONE (Radiance Films BD), THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (Melusine UHD/BD), EL VAMPIRO – TWO BLOODSUCKING TALES FROM MEXICO (Indicator BD), WHO KILLED TEDDY BEAR? (Cinematographe UHD/BD).