The Plot:

The town of Mill Basin was your normal "Anywhere, USA" small town.  However, word starts to spread that the ultra-popular heavy metal band Black Roses are showing up to town to perform a series of concerts to prepare the band for their world tour.  Without missing a beat, the town’s school board is heavily debating as to whether or not they should let this group play in their town due to the group’s controversial (and quite possibly evil) lyrics and images.  On the opposite end, Mill Basin’s youth is understandably excited that these big haired metal giants chose to play their shitty town. 

What neither group knows is that Black Roses are actually a band of demons that possess the listeners of their music.  After the band convinces the school board and the town’s parents that they’re not a threat (through a hilarious power ballad which causes all of the adults to conveniently leave a concert at the same time), Black Roses soon target the town’s youth.   Matt Moorehouse, an English teacher at the high school, starts to notice the teens’ increasingly erratic behavior and suspects the band may be at fault.  His suspicions turn out to be correct, as the teens start to kill their parents and turn into demons themselves.  Of course, it’s up to Matt to destroy the evil band and kick the Devil and all of his rubber faced minions out of Mill Basin.

The DVD:

•  Image
  • Synapse Films once again gives such an obscure low budget film the deluxe treatment in the video department.  The image is crisp and clear of grain, and this 80’s film looks as if it could been released fairly recently (if you discount the fashion on display here of course).  Some of the night scenes are a little dark, but that barely detracts from the fact that this film looks a lot better than many of it’s horror counterparts on DVD.   9 out of 10

• Sound
  • Black Roses is presented in a Dolby Stereo 2.0 track.  While this track is fine, I would have liked to see a 5.1 track so I could get the full effect of those cheesy hair band songs.  However, if you’re itching to get the full effect of the soundtrack, look no further than the bottom of this post to download it!   7 out of 10
    

• Extras
  • Extras here include two trailers, actor audition tapes, and an audio commentary.  I didn’t expect a monumental amount of extras for a film like this, so these are fine with me. The audition feature is probably the best feature out of the pack.    7 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

Believe it or not, heavy metal horror was actually a legitimate sub-genre in the 80’s.  Movies like Shock Em’ Dead, Trick or Treat, and Rock ‘N’ Roll Nightmare (who’s director also directed this film) all featured a good vs. evil plot with a heavy dose of hair metal.  Does Black Roses have enough hairspray to stand up to these cheese-fests?

The plot here is pretty straight forward: evil force invades small town and only one man can (with a wicked mustache) can stop it.   But taking into account the film’s budget and premise, you should know that a movie like this isn’t going to be high art.   Considering that you have very  rubber-looking monsters (which is even more apparent with this film’s excellent video transfer), cringe inducing acting (mostly by actors in their late 20’s playing high school kids), and a bare-chested lead singer with the oh-so-clever name of Damian, you should go into this film expecting a healthy helping of cheese.

If you’re anything like me though, 80’s cheese flicks are always a good time and Black Roses drips cheese from all angles.  In the first 15 minutes of the film there is a blatant tongue-in-cheek reference to the PMRC via the overly cautious school board. However, if you actually listen to the lyrics of the songs, they’re more laughable than violent or satanic as these adults claim.  You even have kids that end up killing their parents as a result of being under the influence of this evil music group.  Considering that this long standing parental concern is actually taking place here, it makes all the more room for unintentional comedic moments. 

So how does Black Roses fare overall?  Well quite simply, this movie rocks.  Whether it be the over the top music, the intentional attack on conservative small town values, or monsters that look so fake Jim Henson would be proud, Black Roses delivers the goods. The video transfer is amazing for a film like this, and the overall package is very satisfying.  If you’re looking for a film that you can enjoy with a six pack of beer and some nostalgia, look no further and pick this one up. 

Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to download this film’s long out of print soundtrack right here:

8 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Black Roses, Synapse, PMRC, heavy metal, hair bands, soundtrack, review

I had mentioned in my review of Doom Asylum that the Code Red DVD label was undergoing a change in distributors.  This marks the first film that they’re releasing under their new distributor BCI.  Will there track record of releasing quality DVDs hold up?  Lets find out.

The Plot:

Washed-up actress Karla Davis wakes up one night with visions of an impending plane crash in which everyone on the flight dies with the exception of a woman named Denise Watson.  Denise happens to work at the talent agency that Karla is involved in, and Karla attempts to warn her agent about the incident that she sees forthcoming.  This of course is immediately dismissed by her agent due to her history of ranting and raving about such things.

We soon find out that just as Karla predicted, the plane had crashed and its passengers have perished with the exception of Denise.  She handles this ordeal remarkably well, however after several "near miss" accidents and incidents involving strange figures, it seems that she isn’t quite as lucky as she originally thought.  It looks like Death’s minions have come to make Denise per her debt, and they’re not afraid to take a few others with them. 

The DVD:

•  Image
  • Considering the source material and the fact that Sole Survivor was made on a budget of $350,000, the video quality is actually pretty exceptional.  There are parts of the film where the colors seem to be a bit washed out, but this is hardly noticeable.  It’s also presented 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen which is certainly a deluxe treatment for a film like this.   8 out of 10

• Sound
  • The film is presented in mono and the track seems to hold up pretty well.  Not cracks or pops that I noticed at all.  However, I should point out that the audio track seemed quite low on my system.  I had to turn it up a few notches to hear the dialogue, but if you have a decent system this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  7 out of 10
    

• Extras
  • Extras include the original trailer for the film, as well as trailers for upcoming films from Code Red DVD.  I always enjoy these, probably because of the high cheese factor in some of them.  Other extras include an interview with actor Caren Larkey (who plays the role of Karla) and executive producer Sal Romeo, an introduction from Caren, and a commentary track.  These extras are pretty informative, and I’m a sucker for trailers, so this gets a    7 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

I first heard of Sole Survivor through a minor buzz across some of the horror boards I read.  Many posters were anticipating its release, and some had mentioned its similarities to Final Destination.  After viewing the film, the similarities are pretty apparent.  You have the plane crash, the premonition, and the "close calls" which exist in both the films.  I wouldn’t say that Final Destination was a direct rip-off of this film, but it had generously borrowed more than a few ideas.  Hell, the linear notes in the DVD point out that director Thom Eberhardt may have even checked with his lawyer on the matter.  However, to Final Destination’s credit, Sole Survivor isn’t a slasher film (I often think of Destination as a sort of "invisible slasher") as it relies more on ambiance then jump scares or gore.

But enough about Final Destination, lets get to the film at hand.  Sole Survivor is a film that has its fair share of eerie atmosphere.  The people that stalk Denise are the living dead, however they’re not presented in zombie form.  They appear as ghostly, expressionless figures which I believe are far more effective.  These figures are often times unknown to the viewer, and their only explanation to their existence is that appear to have a sole purpose of bringing Denise face to face with death. 

Even though the premise of the film is very good, there are some minor gripes I have.  The actress that plays Denise is all over the place.  She’s incredibly upbeat in the beginning of the film despite the fact that she was involved in a ghastly tragedy.  Also, she delivers some out of place cheesy lines here and there.  Another thing is the part of Karla, the psychic actress down on her luck.  Her story isn’t explored at all, but I guess her purpose was to be the stereotypical clairvoyant who also happens to be the bringer of really shitty news.  There’s also a minor love interest story that doesn’t lead to much at all.  Things like this are to be expected though, considering the budget, time frame, and actor experience.

Overall, Sole Survivor manages to bring the dread associated with life and death in an effective manner.  The atmosphere that the picture possesses is enough in itself for one to see the film.  This film marks a successful return of Code Red DVD, and I hope their future releases live up to this quality. I enjoyed this movie despite its predictable flaws and I recommend that you check it out too, Final Destination be damned.

7.5 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Sole Survivor, Code Red, Final Destination, death, living dead, review

Before I even began watching this film, the first thing I thought to myself was "why killer rats?".  It just seemed hokey and a bit campy for a modern day horror film, but thankfully it worked out as you’ll soon see in the review.

The Plot:

The film opens with the film’s main character, Clutch, who is out for his morning workout (he seems to be an ex-boxer from what the viewer can tell) in the streets of a lower class section of New York.  We get several shots of this decaying part of the city, and we soon see the apartment building that Clutch inhabits which in many ways is literally decaying in and of itself.  The place is run down as you would imagine, as are the people who live there:  his neighbor Kay who is a single mother that has a crush on Clutch, Coco who is the quasi-gay neighbor and friend of Clutch, and two World War II vets that live above him. Also, Clutch’s daughter is on her way home from Iraq, and both he and his neighbor Coco are awaiting her return. From the looks of things, these folks have been through it all in their experiences living in New York, and life has visibly taken their toll on them.  However as with all horror films, things are about to get worse.

On the news there are a series of reports of rat bites, and soon the people are ordered to evacuate the city’s subways.  It turns out that these rats are carrying some sort of virus that is not only causing them to be extremely aggressive, but also to spread this mysterious virus to their carriers.  When the superintendent of Clutch’s apartment gets bit by a rat, he starts to turn in what can only be described as a rat-like mutant, and the rest of the city soon follows suit.  From here, the film turns into a tale of survival, as Clutch looks to protect the ones he is close to while trying to flee the chaotic, contaminated city in one piece.

The DVD:

•  Image
  • To say that this film was shot on a low budget would be a huge understatement, and it shows in image quality.  Here we see alot of jerky camera work and an image quality that’s someone "dirty".  However, this only helps to elevate the feeling of the dreary and empty feeling of New York that the film was trying to portray.  In this respect it works quite well, however it may not be what some people are expecting in a modern day film, low budget or otherwise:  7 out of 10

• Sound
  • The film has solid Dolby 5.1 track, and it does a great job of immersing you in the film.  Also, my subwoofer got a nice work out in a number of the opening scenes as well.  Overall, it’s a much better track than I’ve seen on previous "After Dark" films.  However, there are also some generic screams here and there that kinda take you out of the experience (they’re the "library" samples everyone has heard in a dozen of other movies), but they are few and far between :  8 out of 10
    

• Extras
  • The DVD boasts several features including storyboards, deleted scenes, outtakes, and a behind the scenes feature among other things.  However, I don’t see a commentary track listed here.  This is unfortunate, because director Jim Mickle’s interview in Rue Morgue was a very interesting look on low-budget film making and it might have transferred well to a commentary track.  Other than thought though, extras are pretty much run of the mill:      7 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

Before I saw this film, I heard more than a few comparisons between this and 28 Days Later, and that’s not a bad thing in my opinion.  These comparisons are very accurate, especially the way the film was shot and how the rat-mutant creatures are similar to the "infected" in 28 Days Later.  However, there are more than a few differences between the films as well.  Mulberry Street takes a good portion of the film to build up it’s characters, which is rarely seen in horror films of any kind.  We learn of each character’s past, and we begin to sympathize with them in their situation of border-line poverty and the hard times of living in a city like New York. When the virus breaks out across the city and these characters are forces to fight for their lives, you actually begin to care about the outcome. 

In all actuality, this film is only half about "mutant rat monsters" and people fighting for their life, while the other half is the modern day struggle that Clutch and his friends have to go through.  There are numerous political and social references throughout the film as well.  Some are subtle, and others kind of beat you over the head, but it all pertains to the plot and it works out well.  Such topics as the War in Iraq, the government’s treatment of veterans, Hurricane Katrina,  and government distrust/betrayal are all here in healthy quantities, yet it still never gets preachy.   It’s tough to balance such commentary well, especially in a horror film of this kind, but Mulberry Street is able to pull it off very well.

On the horror side of things, the monster’s are a bit creepy.  Thankfully, my original idea of "killer rats" wasn’t the case here, as the rats are just the catalysts of the virus outbreak.  The special effects of this film are also done remarkably well considering the budget was very slim.  Overall, I haven’t seen a modern horror film in some time that’s able to pull off solid character development, good horror elements, and social commentary successfully.  Mulberry Street is indeed a gem in the genre, and it sure beats the hell out of another PG-13 Japanese remake.  The DVD is about what you would expect, but the film is exceptional.  I give the entire package an:

8 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Mulberry Street,   Mulberry St., 28 Days Later, Iraq, politics, rats, virus

So here we have the Ultimate Edition of Evil Dead that was released in December 2007.  Let me just say up front that this film has been released nearly a dozen or so times in different "editions" since the creation of the DVD format.  Hardcore Evil Dead fans often roll their eyes upon hearing the fact that their favorite film has been re-released yet again, but they still buy the newest edition anyway.  This probably explains explains the reason why this franchise has been such a cash cow.  None the less, lets see how this particular edition measures up:

The Plot:

Five college kids decide to rent a cabin deep within the woods presumably just to chill out for the weekend.  After spending some time in the cabin, they just happen to stumble upon The Book of the Dead, how lucky of them!  Later on, they find a tape recorder in the basement of the cabin which they play back for shits and giggles.  The recorder actually has demonic incantations from the Book of the Dead and shortly after its playback, these incantations summon demons who start to possess the group.  The first person to get possessed is a girl named Cheryl, who prior to her possession gets raped by trees in one of the most ridiculous scenes ever.  One by one the kids are possessed by this demonic force, leaving an unlikely hero named Ash to put in end to the evil that has overtaken his friends.

The DVD:

•  Image
  • There are two versions of the film on the Ultimate Edition set, one being an anamorphic widescreen version, and the other being a full-frame version.  The widescreen version looks pretty well on DVD, although I’ve heard its a port from a previous version of the movie.  The same thing goes for the full-screen version on the second disc, although the quality is a notch or two below the widescreen version.  Still purists prefer the full frame version, as its how the movie was originally released.  Considering the budget of the film and what materials Anchor Bay had to work with, I’ll give an overall of 8.5 out of 10

• Sound
  • On disc one, there is both Dolby Digital 6.1 and DTS-ES tracks.  I chose to go with the DTS track when watching the movie, and although it sounds pretty well, its not as solid as other DTS tracks I have heard from other "cult" movies.  The full frame version of the film is presented in Dolby Surround 2.0 and it’s pretty much what you would expect.  Despite all the sound options you have in this set, none of them really goes "above and beyond" for it to be considered "Ultimate":  7 out of 10
    

• Extras
  • Here’s where this set really shines.  Disc 1 has a documentary about the film, its history, and its impact on the genre.  Disc 2 also has a featurette of scenes that were cut from the film.  However, I should note that both of these were available on previous releases of the film it its "Book Of The Dead" packaging.  Disc 3 is packed with all new features (well they’re new to me, I’m not sure if any of these were on previous sets), most of which detail "The Ladies of Evil Dead" who were the actresses in the film.  It details what they’re up to now, and their activities at horror conventions across the country.  I found this and other features on this disc to be very enjoyable.    9 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

Before I conclude this review, I have to point out that Evil Dead is one of the scariest movies of all time.  Despite a lot of hokey acting and the feeling of a low budget film that it emits, the ability to scare the hell out of you can’t be denied.  In particular, the scene where Cheryl first becomes possessed still freaks me out to this day.  Not to mention images of a demon in the cellar, and the shrieks and laughs of these demonic creatures on screen.  This film always gets praise among horror fans, but I think that many people look over the fact this movie is quite simply spooky as hell.

So is the Ultimate Edition the definitive version of The Evil Dead?  Well, yes and no.  Noticeably absent is the original student film that the movie was based on, "Within the Woods".  Apparently there was an uncleared audio sample that prohibits a wide release of the movie.  Many fans have speculated (and often joked) that there will be even more releases of this film in the feature, possibly containing Within the Woods.  Also, several extras were ported over from "The Book of the Dead" edition that was released a few years before this.  I don’t own that edition, but many folks have complained of its similarities.

Overall, I’m going to base my rating of this set on its own merit, rather than comparing it to previous versions.  If you don’t have this movie on DVD yet, you can’t go wrong with this set.  If you do have it on DVD, you may want to pass on this one.  Or, if you’re a geek like me and you want to "upgrade" your previous version by buying this, you can’t go wrong either.  This set has all of the audio options, video options, and extras you could want. The film itself is bonafide classic, and it belongs on any serious DVD collector’s shelf.  Well, that is if you don’t have it already…..

9 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Evil Dead, Ultimate Edition, Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi

Let me start out by saying that Dawn of the Dead is in my top 5 in favorite movies of all time.  As far as horror films go, its often considered to be one of the best ever, and I strongly believe that it deserves that title.  It’s directed by George A. Romero who is by far my favorite director.  It seems that nearly all of his movies were ahead of their time, and they often hit close to home as the majority of his films are shot in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Dawn was shot in 1978, and it certainly was far ahead of its time. 

I should also mention that I was planning to make this post into a discussion of the comparisons between upconverted standard DVDs (which are normal DVDs that are "upscaled" to 1080p, making them look better, but not being "true HD") and Blu-Ray discs, but I felt that it would be unfair to judge such a wide comparison between formats from using only one title.  So rather than compare the formats themselves, I’m going to sprinkle this review with comparisons between the standard DVD version of Dawn and the Blu-Ray version.

The Plot:

The film picks up a short time after Romero’s first film, the legendary Night of the Living Dead left off.  The dead are rising up and looking for human flesh, and it appears that humanity is near the end of times.  The film opens with a frantic scene at a television station, where tensions are flaring as two television hosts are trying to explain the undead phenomenon while the station is displaying obsolete "safe houses" at the bottom of the screen.  A woman that works at the station named Fran meets up with boyfriend Stephen (aka Flyboy) who happens to be a helicopter pilot.  They soon cross paths with two SWAT team members, Roger and Peter, and the four of them decide to flee the city to seek refuge away from the undead invasion.  They stumble upon a shopping mall and decide that it would be the perfect location to setup a hideout.  After securing the shopping mall, the group has everything that could possibly ask for, but at what cost?  What will happen to them once a group of looters wants a slice of the pie?

The DVD:

•  Image
  • This film looks amazing on Blu-Ray.  The backgrounds stand out as exceptionally clear and the colors are vibrant.  However, here’s my dilemma: it simply doesn’t look that much better than the Dawn of the Dead Ultimate Edition converted to 1080p.  I know that its not "true" HD when it comes to the standard discs, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t close.  Anyway, the Blu-Ray disc is presented in widescreen 1.85:1.  In regards to the standard DVD vs. Blu-Ray, I’ll give the Blu-Ray an 8 out of 10

• Sound
  • Supposedly presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS (it says DTS on the disc itself).  However, I can’t get my Yamaha receiver to pick up the signal on my PS3 which is a shame.  Not to mention that there is no sign of DTS playback at all despite what it says on the disc.  It also has PCM 5.1 which my receiver also fails to pickup.  I’ll have to look into this one further as I may need to tweak some settings.  I’d take the Ultimate Edition’s DTS track any day because I can actually get it to work…..   Not Rated

• Extras
  • The extras on the disc are ported over from previous Dawn releases.  Whats sucks is that some of the sequences can only be played in 480p whether you like it or not.  However, they did include something called "Fast Film Facts"  which shows various facts on the film in type of VH1 "Pop-Up Video" format.    6 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

Dawn of the Dead is a film that plays almost like a comic book.  The action is over the top as is the music, and combined with the extremely dark humor (zombie pie fights anyone?) and candy colored blood, one might say that this movie is quite fun for it being the end of the world.  Not to mention that Romero makes some strong statements on consumerism in the film, subtly comparing zombies to 1978 mall-goers.    He also has a group of people with every possible thing they could want (as they have access to an entire mall), but they’re still unhappy.  In several scenes, Flyboy is even struck with greed with all of the possessions that he has.  Keep in mind that this movie was made before the 80’s obsession with shopping malls, yuppies, and hardcore American greed, so Romero’s plot was a slight hint of things to come.  

So how does this compare to the standard DVD overall?  I’d say that the Blu-Ray edition didn’t fare all that well in the extras department, as almost everything on it has been released already with the option of viewing it in a higher resolution than 480p.  On the audio side, there were some technical difficulties (I think?) on my end so I can’t properly judge it.  Last but certainly not least is the video department.  While the Blu-Ray version obviously looks better, it doesn’t look that much better.  I searched online to get a solid answer as to how superior this version is, but the result was always split down the middle.  The bottom line is this, the improvements in video on the Blu-Ray disc does not warrant an upgrade if you have the ability to upscale a standard DVD.

So as far as a rating goes, the film itself is an instant 10 out of 10 in every version is presented in.  This is the only film that I have ever bought three times (in various editions) and I find each of those purchases worth it in their own way.  However, this overall rating below is for the Blu-Ray package as compared to the standard DVD (and its various editions):

7 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Dawn of the Dead, Blu-Ray, Blu Ray, review, DOTD

This movie is a definite "body count" flick.  Hell, it advertises that very fact on the back of the DVD!  However, despite its predictability and the fact that the main villain is a bit of a rip off of Freddy Krueger in his "kill a young punk then spout a one liner" shtick, this movie can be alot of fun at times.  It features Kristin Davis of Sex in the City playing a small part of a somewhat ditzy psychology buff in a completely pointless role.  I’m also going to point out that this flick was put out by  an independent label known as Code Red DVD , which are known for their re-releases of  80’s cheese on DVD.  They  just went through a new distributor and should be back very soon  releasing cult 80’s films that have been long forgotten.  Check them out!

The Plot:

The movie starts out with a couple speeding down a rural road in a fancy car.  Turns out the man who’s driving the car is some sort of yuppie who has everything going for him, that is until his careless driving puts him in a horrible wreck where his significant other is killed and he himself is badly maimed.  He awakens in a coroner’s office as a bloody and injured mess, and for some reason (perhaps he realizes that he awoke to having bloody Play Doh prosthetics on his chest) kills the coroner and his assistant.  Fast forward a decade or so later, a group of kids decide to have a party at an abandoned asylum, which is actually a pretty cool location to shoot a film like this.  They meet up with a hilarious all-girl band known as Tina and the Tots who are playing shitty music in an abandoned asylum for whatever reason.  Thrown in a lead singer who’s tough as nails and is wearing a "torpedo tits" bra and you have some over the top comedic moments.  Anyway, this asylum is supposedly inhabited by "The Coroner" who’s the yuppie guy who’s still alive and ready to kill. Of course, all of the kids get to meet him face to face and die some pretty nasty deaths.  That basically the gist of it, not exactly rocket science.

The DVD:

•  Image
  • The film looks like it may have been shot on video (it wasn’t), and there is some minor print damage.  Looks like a made for TV movie in some ways as far as image quality is concerned.  Still, this is probably better than the film has ever looked. Presented in 1.33:1  6.5 out of 10

• Sound
  • Presented in Dolby Stereo.  Sounds somewhat muffled at times like a VHS tape, but overall nothing really offensive.  7 out of 10

• Extras
  • I actually really enjoyed the interview segment with the director Richard Friedman and producer.  He was very honest about the film, including the inclusion of old black and white footage that the Coroner watches just to pad the films running time.  Also Code Red has some nice trailers here as well.  7 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

Well, take a standard 80’s slasher, put some forced humor in it, have actors that are stiff as a board, and have some things that make little sense (one of the girls decides to call her boyfriend "Mom" for the majority of the film.  Yes, I don’t know why either) and you have Doom Asylum.  The killings weren’t that bad, but the plot was borderline non-existent.  This was suppose to the a horror comedy though, or at least thats the way it was marketed.  This movie is really one that should be enjoyed with a six pack of good beer and some low expectations.  Somewhere in the middle though, there’s some fun to be had. I give the overall package a:

6 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, DVD, Slasher, Doom Asylum, Cheesy

This film is directed by Sergio Martino, who in my opinion is extremely underrated.  When talking about the genre, many will cite Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and perhaps even Lucio Fulci as the pioneers.  However, Martino has directed several fine films in his own right, including The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail, and Torso.  Your Vice.. is a bit different than your "average" giallo, due to its rural setting (most giallo’s take place in cities).  I should also point out that this film is put out by an amazing DVD label, NoShame Films. Lets start off with the plot for this oversexed Italian thriller:

The Plot:

The film starts out with some sort of hippie orgy of sorts at the mansion of writer Oliviero Rouvigny.  Enter Oliviero’s wife, Irina, who is soon violated by her husband in front of the young folk.  This sets the tone for Oliviero’s abusive relationship with his wife due to his recent slump as a writer and the pressure he puts on himself.  Oliviero is also having an affair with a young mistress, however when his mistress is found murdered, he is soon the prime suspect.  Soon after, his maid is also found murdered and he decides that he must hide the body to avoid any further police presence.  During this time him and his wife are payed a surprise visit by Floriana, Oliviero’s niece (played by the beautiful Edwige Fenech).  What business does she have at the mansion?  Who is behind these killings?  Who is the mysterious man watching this all transpire?  How come more movies don’t have awesome lesbian scenes like this one?

The DVD:

•  Image
  • Despite the fact that the film was released in 1972, NoShame did an amazing job with the transfer. One of the best of the genre in my opinion. Presented in widescreen 1.85:1  8.5 out of 10

• Sound
  • Presented in its original Mono soundtrack, both in Italian and English.  Not too shabby for the film’s age.  7 out of 10

• Extras
  • An interview segment with the director, screenwriter, and Edwige Fenech presented in Italian along with some trailers and a still gallery.  Didn’t find the interview to be all that interesting, but considering the obscurity of this film, I can’t complain.  7 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

At one point, I ranked this in my top three giallo’s of all time.  After a re-evaluation, I realize that I still do love this film, but I wasn’t as wowed by it after numerous viewings.  Still, its an excellent example of the genre, and it has enough twists and turns to put most thriller type films to shame (although some of the twists can be nonsensical for the uninitiated).  I love the rural setting, and the cinematography is pretty amazing as well.  For anyone interested in Euro cinema, or the giallo sub-genre in general, give this one a whirl.

7.5 out of 10

Technorati Tags: Horror, Giallo, DVD, Review

I first heard of this movie in August of 2006.  I was at a horror convention (nerdy, I know) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey (Monstermania, for those keeping track).  Prior to one of the seminars they had, they screened a few trailers, and Hatchet was one of them.  It promised a "Return to the slasher genre", and boasted it was "Old school American horror".  For people such as myself that are pretty much sick of modern day PG-13 horror shitfests, this seemed like a breath of fresh air.  The audience at the seminar was treated with a blood soaked trailer, and an introduction of quite possibly the newest franchise slasher villian, Victor Crowley.  Not surprisingly the crowd ate it up and even had them play the trailer twice.  Needless to say, alot of folks were buzzing about this Hatchet movie and were hoping that it would give the horror (and slasher) genre a much needed shot in the arm.

The Plot:

A group of young guys are down in New Orleans looking for some fun, when one of them (Ben) decides that titties and beer are a bit too overwhelming for him.  Ben convinces Marcus, another one of his buddies, to go to off on a few side streets and see if they can find some fun there.  Eventually they wind up on a make-shift swamp tour with two softcore porn actresses and the guy recording them, an older couple, a quiet girl, and a careless tour guide looking to make a buck.  Their boat winds up breaking down in the middle of the swamp, however this is no ordinary swamp.  This swamp is the home of Victor Crowley, a local legend and a deformed madman.  The folks on the tour start getting picked off by Crowley and the last remaining few are forced to fight for their lives.  Throw in some cameos from Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund and Tony "Candyman" Todd and have the main villain played by Kane "Jason" Hodder and you’ve got a horror movie, but with some comedy thrown in. Pretty straight forward right?

The DVD:

•  Image
  • Unsurprisingly, Anchor Bay did a great job with this low budget film in the video department.  Presented in widescreen 1.78:1  8 out of 10

• Sound
  • A nice Dolby 5.1 soundtrack.  Nothing stands out as jaw dropping, but I can’t complain.  8 out of 10

• Extras
  • I actually enjoyed the Behind the Scenes features alot more than I thought I would.  8.5 out of 10

The Bottom Line:

After a year and a half of hype, does Hatchet live up to expectations?  I’d say yes, but not in a "return to old school horror" kind of way.  The humor was actually pretty effective, and the gore was top notch.  However, it didn’t resemble anything anything from the 80’s slasher genre craze, and was post-2000 horror all the way.  Not that thats a bad thing really, because there have been SOME gems in horror in the past few years.  With that being said, I give Hatchet:

8 out of 10

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