Blu-ray Review: The Guardians

The Guardians is a beautiful film about a farming family in France during the World War I, showing how war affects those who remain at home as well as those who are off doing the fighting. It stars Nathalie Baye as Hortense, the matriarch who struggles to keep the family business going at a time when modernization is beginning, and Iris Bry as Francine, the young woman who is hired on for the harvest.

The film opens quietly with the camera moving over several dead soldiers on the battlefield, their faces hidden behind gas masks, smoke still present in the air. We are then taken to the farm, where Hortense works the fields. Constant, one of her sons, returns home on leave from the military, visits the school where he was employed as a teacher before the war, and spends a brief time with his family. He talks little of the war, only giving little snippets of the mood of the soldiers. The talk is more about the harvest and about modernizing the farm, getting machinery like tractors to ease Hortense’s burden. And then he is gone again. The shot of him walking away along the dirt road into the distant haze is excellent, the haze reminding us of the smoke from the first shot. He is heading back to the war, and it’s like he’s there already, as soon as his back is turned on his home, his family, and his walking into the smoke gives us the sensation that he going to his death. The shot is allowed to go on until he is out of sight, fading into a ghost-like realm. The film has many beautiful and meaningful shots like that.

When Francine, the farmhand that Hortense hires, arrives, she is accompanied by some light, innocent-sounding music from the film’s score, as if perhaps some joy has arrived to the farm. She immediately proves herself to be a diligent and conscientious worker, and we see her going about her duties on the farm, along with Hortense and Hortense’s daughter Solange (Laura Smet). The details are wonderful, and so much is shown without dialogue. But of course always in the background is the war, and thoughts of the men are in the faces of the women as they work the harvest. And suddenly Clovis (Solange’s husband) returns on leave, expressing the futility and madness of the war. It’s harsh, because every time a man is home, he knows he’ll have to soon return to the fighting. The women know it too. There is never any talk of deserting. There is a strange, quiet acceptance, as well as a fear that hangs over the home. And the longer the war goes on, the more intense that sense becomes.

Hortense’s other son, Georges (Cyril Descours), arrives from leave, and this is a moment when we see Hortense beaming with joy and pride. It soon becomes clear that Georges and Francine have taken an interest in each other, and a relationship develops. As I mentioned earlier, the film has some absolutely beautiful shots. Who thought a shot of two hands on a large rock could be so affecting? And the scene where Hortense learns that one of the men of her family has been killed is heart-rending. That entire scene is accomplished with just two short sentences. And still, the work must go on. They show resilience in the face of loss. But there is also a hardness there, which develops and ultimately affects Francine’s fate.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several special features, including a Q&A with director Xavier Beauvois. Beauvois talks about the book the film is based on, and about dealing with war on film. This is approximately twenty minutes. There are two interviews conducted during the French Film Festival, presented in French with English subtitles. The first is with cinematographer Caroline Champetier. She talks about how this was the first movie that Xavier Beauvois shot digitally, and how he had suggested that she explore the early works of Van Gogh before beginning work on this movie. This interview is approximately twelve minutes. The second interview is with actor Nicolas Giraud, who talks about his experience working on the film, and about the scene where he goes to the classroom. He also discusses the current problem with gun violence. This interview is approximately fourteen minutes.

The special features also contain a segment with Michel Legrand on the film’s music, as well as some of the audition footage and an interview with Gilbert Bonneau, who talks about his life. An outtake with Gilbert Bonneau is also included. And we get the film’s trailer.

There is also a booklet, which contains notes from the producer and the director, as well as an interview with the director.

The Guardians was directed by Xavier Beauvois, and was released on Blu-ray on September 11, 2018 through Music Box Films. The film is presented in French, with optional English subtitles.

Blu-ray Review: Pickings

Pickings is a suspenseful tale about a female bar owner who runs afoul of some gangsters when she refuses to go along with their racket. It stars Elyse Price as Jo Lee-Hayward, who is trying to raise her three children and keep her business afloat without resorting to tactics from her past. But when the criminal element threatens not only her business, but also her children, she has little choice. This movie uses elements of westerns and film noir, along with comic book-type images.

As the film opens, we see a man who’s been tied to a chair and beaten, yet who retains something of an attitude, telling the woman in the shadows that she is going to pay for what she did. The woman, Jo (Elyse Price), is unfazed by his threat, of course, in part probably because of the joint she’s smoking. She offers the man a bit of pop psychology as she pulls a pistol from under her red dress and loads it, taunting him and calling herself a “demon queen” before shooting him. The opening credit sequence is cool, the artwork giving it a stylish flavor. That sort of artwork, however, is used throughout the film, where it feels more like a gimmick than a necessary ingredient.

We then are introduced to Linda, a bar owner who is late on her payment to the gangsters, and so soon receives a visit from them. Sam Barone, the main bad guy of the group, appears in black and white, which feels like another gimmick. Also, his name appears on screen, and his sidekicks are likewise identified. We’ve seen that sort of thing in other films, of course. And the villains seem a bit goofy, like posers rather than truly dangerous men. It is a bit of style over substance, yes, but not enough to pull me out of the story. This scene, however, is there only to establish the bad guys and their tactics, for Linda plays no further part in the story. We return to Jo’s world, seeing her having breakfast with her three children at home, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Pickings, by the way, is the name of the pub that she runs with her oldest daughter, Scarlet (Katie Vincent, who also did the music for the film), and it isn’t long before two men show up there to shake her down for money, frightening Scarlet in the process. It is after closing, and I have to wonder why Scarlet didn’t simply lock the door. Jo isn’t one to be threatened, and something within her has awakened, and, with a bit of help from her brother Boone (Joel Bernard), she eliminates the threat. This leads us back to the film’s opening scene. It also, of course, raises the ire of the crime boss, who is a stereotype, seated in the shadows, smoking a cigar. And we know Jo’s troubles are only beginning.

Elyse Price gives an excellent performance as Jo. She’s sexy and cool, but even more exciting to watch in her vulnerable moments, like, for example, when her young son tells her he was watching on the monitor when she shot one of the villains. The fear and concern on her face, and the way she just nods her head a bit before finding her voice to answer his question “They were bad guys, right?” is so effective at drawing us to her, making us care about her. The film also boasts some intriguing shots, like when Jo calls her sister, and half of each woman’s face fills the screen, her sister’s face then obscured by blurry drops of water until Jo hangs up without speaking. Another cool shot is when Scarlet is talking to her brother outside, and in the background and out of focus a figure comes rushing up behind them. The most effective and moving scenes for me are those between Jo and Scarlet.

Where the film loses me is – and forgive me, but there is no way to talk about this without giving away a key plot point – when the villains murder Jo’s son and kidnap Scarlet. If it had just been the kidnaping, it would be believable and exciting. But once a child is murdered, nothing feels right about any of the remaining characters’ behavior. I mean, this is the point where the police would become involved, regardless of Jo’s wish to keep her past a secret. In fact, for the rest of the film all I am thinking about is what Jo has done with her son’s body. Where is it? If she hasn’t called the police, what has she done with the body? And in a reverse shot, we see how close the neighbors’ houses are. Wouldn’t a murder in the front yard in the daytime have caused alarm among the neighbors? There is actually a lot of gun play in this movie, and no police ever show up. Like I said, if it had just been the kidnaping, the rest would be believable. But the movie went a step too far. I think Jo would have gone completely mad at the death of her son, and wouldn’t have been able to put a revenge plan into play as she does. Also, did the criminals really think she was going to do business with them after they killed her son? It’s completely unbelievable.

But the film is still worth watching, in large part because of the performances of Elyse Price and Katie Vincent. I love watching the changes that Scarlet goes through as the film progresses.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several bonus features, including a commentary track by writer/director/producer Usher Morgan. He talks about the locations, the look of the film, and the choices he made with regards to shots. He does explain his reasons for presenting the character of Sam in black and white, and he does talk about the influence of Kill Bill on the film. Interestingly, once he gets a shot the way he wants it, he does another take allowing the actors to improvise some dialogue. And some of that ended up in the film. The commentary track isn’t listed in the special features menu, but I accessed it by playing the film and pressing the “audio” button.

There are also two deleted scenes, the first being more with Jimmy tied to the chair, begging to be let go and also making more threats. The second deleted scene is Scarlet performing a song at the bar, while one of the villains enters. A short promotional behind-the-scenes featurette is also included, as well as the music video for Katie Vincent’s song, “The Way It Goes.” The special features also include “The Mop,” which is a scene created for the fake movie playing on the television during an early sequence in the film.

Pickings was written and directed by Usher Morgan, and was released on Blu-ray on August 10, 2018.

Blu-ray Review: Maniac 3-Disc Limited Edition

Parents should be aware that whatever happens to children can shape the rest of their lives, sometimes with disastrous results. It’s a lesson illustrated in several horror films, including the 1980 movie Maniac, which has now been re-issued as a special three-disc Blu-ray edition, with new 4K restoration. It stars Joe Spinell as Frank, a man whose childhood trauma still affects him in ways he doesn’t quite understand, in ways he cannot control, in ways that horrify him, in ways that mean death for several unsuspecting people in New York. Joe Spinell also co-wrote the screenplay.

The film begins from Frank’s perspective, as he watches a couple on an otherwise deserted beach. They are soon killed, and the man’s scream becomes Frank’s scream, as he suddenly sits up in bed. Was it all just a nightmare? Or a memory? It’s unclear at first, but what seems clear is that the corpse of a woman is next to him in bed. We then see that the corpse is actually a mannequin, just one of many dolls in Frank’s apartment, though one that is covered in blood. Frank quietly gets dressed and leaves, several keys visible in a case by the door, one of many intriguing details of his home. That’s the movie’s excellent opening sequence, turning a somewhat ordinary slasher scene into something far more disturbing and odd and unexpected. We have come to expect horror movies to go from those opening scenes of murder to tranquil daytime scenes in a town or something. This film doesn’t bother with that. It goes from that opening murder scene to a more eerie scene in the killer’s apartment. And in fact, after this sequence Frank goes out and almost immediately finds another victim.

What is also interesting and unusual about this is that the killer is actually the film’s protagonist. We are dropped into this guy’s world. And it is through his eyes and from his perspective that we experience the story, which leaves us feeling uneasy. He is not the sort of mindless monster that often populates slasher films. In fact, he is a sad and pathetic figure, particularly as he asks a prostitute to pose for him like the women in magazines. Is this the only way he can attempt to connect to women? Of course, he soon kills her, and as he strangles her he sees her as another woman. And when he is done, he is immediately horrified and upset. That, however, does not stop him from scalping her.

One day in the park he sees a beautiful photographer named Anna (Caroline Munro), who happens to snap his picture. He glances at the tag on her bag to get her address, and we assume she will be his next victim. But the film offers more surprises. When he shows up at her house, she is not startled or worried. And it seems he believes he’s found a kindred spirit. When he’s with her, we see a different side of his personality, a more normal side. It’s interesting that we get to know his violent, crazy side long before seeing anything ordinary about him, sort of the opposite of what many films do. But it is the more violent aspects of his personality that are dominant, and his past is never too far from Frank’s mind, as we learn when he pulls a photo of his mother from his jacket pocket while on a date, or from what he tells a model after tying her up.

There are some bits of odd humor in the film. For example, Frank keeps a naked doll in a bird cage, and at one point offers it a cracker. Also, another couple who have just met pull off the side of the road to fool around. The woman says, about the roadside rest stop, “This is really a nice place, isn’t it?” She then asks, “Do you come here a lot?” But the overall tone of the film is dark and serious and sad and unsettling. And there are some seriously frightening moments. The man in that scene, by the way, is played by Tom Savini, who is also responsible for the film’s special effects makeup. Some of the scenes from this film are famous, like the shotgun scene. But for me, one of the more compelling images is that of Frank in bed, handcuffing himself to a mannequin and crying, “I’m so happy.” This movie is so effective in large part because of Joe Spinell’s performance.

Disc 1 Special Features

This three-disc set contains a whole lot of bonus material. The first disc contains two commentary tracks. The first is by producer/director William Lustig and producer Andrew W. Carroni, and it was recorded in July of 2010. Lustig mentions that the opening shots are a nod to Jaws. They talk a lot about Joe Spinell. They tell several interesting anecdotes, such as the one about police coming into the hotel while they were shooting there, and about how a music cue from this film ended up in Saturday Night Live. They also tell some of the lessons learned from the making of this film.  The second commentary is by William Lustig, Tom Savini and editor Lorenzo Marinelli. They go over a lot of the same material, but offer different details and thoughts, and talk about Cannes.

The first disc also includes seven different trailers for the film, nine television commercials and four radio spots.

Disc 2: Special Features

The second disc includes a lot of great material. There are outtakes from the film, footage recently found in a warehouse. William Lustig provides audio commentary for this footage, which includes some great stuff shot on the streets of New York, plus other special effects makeup shots. There are some shots that Lustig says he wishes he used in the film. On the first disc’s commentary tracks, Lustig mentions how Joe Spinell would write funny things on the card in the hotel scene to make William laugh. Well, in these outtakes, we see a moment of that. We also get some shots of the details of Frank’s apartment. There are approximately nineteen minutes of outtakes.

Returning To The Scene Of The Crime has director William Lustig revisiting the locations of the film, while talking about the experience. Things certainly have changed. This is approximately eight minutes. Anna And The Killer is an interview with Caroline Munro, in which she talks about Maniac and how she got the role. She also mentions that she wanted to be an artist, not a model or actor. This is approximately thirteen minutes. There is also an interview with Tom Savini, in which he talks about the special effects makeup, particularly about the shotgun scene. That interview is approximately twelve minutes. Dark Notes is an interview with composer Jay Chattaway, in which he mentions how the music was designed to get you into the head of the main character. He talks a bit about his career leading up to Maniac. Maniac Men is an interview with songwriters Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, in which they talk about the song “Maniac” from Flashdance. They then perform the song, with lyrics more fitting to the film Maniac.

The second disc also includes The Joe Spinell Story, a documentary by David Gregory that features interviews with friends, family and co-workers including Bill Lustig, Robert Forster, Caroline Munro and Jason Miller. The story of his Joe Spinell’s pay for The Godfather is crazy, and the footage of Spielberg is great. I need to see The Last Horror Film. There are some interesting anecdotes about it here. The documentary is approximately forty-nine minutes.

The promo reel for Mr. Robbie: Maniac 2 is included. And there is a radio interview with William Lustig, Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro, with a promotional spot for it playing first. Another cool special feature is an episode of Movie Madness from 1981 featuring William Lustig. On this program, he talks about some of the city fears the film touches upon, and about the criticism of horror films like Maniac. This is a show where people call in with questions, and not all who call in are fans of the film.

There is a very short interview with Joe Spinell at Cannes, as well as a brief interview with Caroline Munro. There is also a segment from The Joe Franklin Show on which Spinell appears. Interestingly, in that segment, they talk about Shakespeare. There is a short and goofy segment with Katie Kelly, a movie critic who talks about her new review policy in which she will give a certain number of barf bags to each film. Also included is a Q&A shot at The New Beverly here in Los Angeles, in which they talk about the shotgun scene and about the guy who designed Frank’s apartment. Of course, I’m wondering how I missed that screening of Maniac. I used to go to the New Bev all the time. Anyway, that feature is approximately twenty-two minutes. This second disc also contains a still gallery of 123 photos, including behind-the-scenes shots and poster artwork. Finally, there is a section of television reviews and reports on the film’s controversy. Yeah, this disc contains several hours of bonus material.

Disc 3: Soundtrack

The third disc is an audio CD containing the film’s soundtrack, which is approximately thirty-three minutes. There are some sound effects too, such as at the beginning of “Maniac’s Theme,” the first track. That theme is wonderfully creepy and sad. This is actually a really good soundtrack, surprisingly powerful and even startling at times. It is especially effective if you give it some volume. By the way, Frank’s voice over is included.

This set also includes a booklet with an article by Michael Gingold titled “Maniacs That Might Have Been” and several photos.

This special 3-disc edition of Maniac was released on December 11, 2018 through Blue Underground. Blue Underground also recently released a special limited edition of Zombie. I’m hoping they’ll be putting out a lot more of these great packages.

Blu-ray Review: Lady Street Fighter

When I expressed the opinion that Wonder Woman is an absolutely terrible film (which it is), I was accused by one guy I know of being a misogynist. His idea was that the movie was good simply because it was directed by a woman and starred a woman, and thus anyone who disliked it must logically also dislike women. (No, this guy was not the brightest person I’d ever met.) I’m glad women are getting more chances to make films, but that factor alone doesn’t necessarily make the resulting films any good. And, hey, decades before Wonder Woman was released, Renee Harmon was writing, producing and starring in her own films. Films such as Lady Street Fighter, which was recently released on Blu-ray in a new 2K transfer. I would like to hear the guy’s opinion of this one.

When the film opens, we see a woman, shirtless, tied to a table. A man is interrogating her, while another man watches, casually drinking and smoking, as if this woman’s beating were a mild form of entertainment. The woman, by the way, is played by Renee Harmon. Another surprising element is that the music playing isn’t the score, but rather comes from the radio next to the seated man, and at one point he changes the station. It’s creepy that he’s playing music while a woman is being tortured and – perhaps accidentally – killed. Odd too is the question that is put to her: “Where is the dog?” It’s a fairly jolting opening.

We then meet Linda (also played by Renee Harmon), who arrives at the airport, a plush dog visible in her bag. It’s not long before men are trying to kill her too. But Linda, who is the first woman’s twin sister, fights back. Meanwhile, an undercover agent is sent to obtain a secret master file, which is supposedly being smuggled out of the country a little bit at a time. Linda calls the undercover agent, arranges to meet him at a club, but then spies two guys outside the club getting into a car, and decides to follow them instead. And soon she is in a gun fight and then a car chase. The undercover cop, who swears he loves Linda, also vows to kill her. And at one point, Linda notices some strange stitching on the plush dog, so tears it open to find a cassette inside. She plays the cassette, which has a message from her sister in which she says she found a tape inside the dog. It’s a little confusing. Apparently, the sister found a cassette inside a plush toy, took it out, recorded a message for her sister on it, then sewed it back inside. All the while, Liz Renay is doing a strip act, and a few men are chanting “Toga, toga, toga.” There are also a couple of karate fights in this film.

The acting is uneven, the plot is clunky, there is some bad dialogue (lines like “Shut up and talk” and “I want your shoes, I want your feet” had me laughing), and occasionally Renee Harmon looks directly into the camera, but in spite of all that (or perhaps because of all that), the movie is fun. There is some strange humor, like that phone-licking bit, and the guy who is burning to death using his last bit of strength to give Linda the finger. And that is some of the stuff that makes this film worth checking out. It is certainly not the usual fare. And I love the cute girl with the leash, that whole bit during the party scene.

Special Features

This Blu-ray contains a commentary track by director James Bryan, moderated by a guy from the American Genre Film Archive. They start by talking about the actor Trace Carradine being invented for this film. James Bryan says Renee Harmon wrote the script around the actors, who essentially paid to be in the film. He also tells the story of Harmon using and smashing her husband’s car for a scene. They do talk about the timeline, the shooting schedule and release dates. It was shot in March of 1975, and released in 1977 (not 1981, as listed on various sites online). Though I do have to wonder about that, as one extra is wearing a Van Halen T-shirt. What year was that logo seen on the band’s first album created? They also talk about Revenge Of Lady Street Fighter, and how it was originally only released in South Korea.

The Blu-ray also includes a collection of trailers for films like Force: Five, Force Four, Zebra Force, The Muthers and Sister Street Fighter.

But the main special feature is actually a second feature film, Revenge Of Lady Street Fighter. This, of course, is the first chance most of us have had to enjoy this sequel to Lady Street Fighter. At the beginning of the movie, Linda’s niece Wanda (who goes by the name Wendy) is with a man at a diner, and Linda enters, bleeding from a stab wound. She hands Wanda her memoirs, telling her that men are after them. But Wanda herself is soon grabbed and blindfolded, and brought to a secret location where agents begin telling her Linda’s story. And that’s when we begin to get footage from the first movie, giant chunks of it. We even get the film’s opening scene, which is about Linda’s twin sister, not about Linda. One shot from the first film is even used twice in this one. Geez. “It gets boring after a while,” one of the agents says. Indeed. What is the point of this film? And what is this revenge promised in its title? Who knows?

This Blu-ray release also includes a booklet with an essay by Annie Choi titled  “Get Out Of Her Way: The Legacy Of Lady Street Fighter.”

Lady Street Fighter was directed by James Bryan, and was released on Blu-ray on August 14, 2018 through American Genre Film Archive and MVD Visual.

Blu-ray Review: Zombie 3-Disc Limited Edition

My girlfriend has occasionally remarked disparagingly on my love for horror films. But then – shockingly – she watched a full season of The Walking Dead with me. Well, I thought, if she’s okay with zombie horror, then she should watch some of the really good zombie movies. Now, with the release of the three-disc limited edition of Lucio Fulci’s Zombie, she has the perfect opportunity to watch one of the best films of the genre, and in a new 4K restoration, which looks fantastic. Also known as Zombi 2 (in Italy) and Zombie Flesh Eaters (in England), Zombie stars Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver and Auretta Gay.

Right from that excellent opening moment where a gun is pointed at us, but then fires into the head of someone tied up in a sheet, this movie has me. The shooter announces that the boat can now leave. Then, after the opening credits, we see what seems to be an unmanned boat entering the New York harbor. When two harbor patrol men board the vessel, they discover someone is on the boat, just no one who is alive. After one of them is killed by the zombie, the other shoots the zombie several times until it falls overboard. There is a great shot when the zombie falls into the water: the camera pans up from the water to the city, indicating that the trouble is only beginning, that now everyone there is in danger. That’s something about this horror film. It is thoughtfully and beautifully photographed.

Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow) is the daughter of the man who owned the boat, and she is determined to learn what became of her father. She begins sneaking around, trying to gather information. Peter West (Ian McCulloch) is a reporter who is also interested in the story, and the two join forces. There is another excellent shot when Peter is on the phone with his boss, reading the letter he found on the boat. The letter was written to Anne from her father, and while he reads it, Anne stands next to him. The camera starts on Peter, pulls back wider to include Anne, then pushes in on her, focusing on her reaction to her father’s last words to her, words about contracting a mysterious disease. What’s also interesting is that this horror film begins as if it were a crime drama. And as the two travel to the island where Anne’s father was working, we get the sense that trouble is brewing in New York, since the coast guard officer who was bitten by the zombie won’t remain still during his own autopsy.

Peter and Anne convince a couple on vacation to take them to the island on their boat. The movie has some awesome underwater photography, with sharks and nude scuba diving. And the sharks aren’t the only dangerous creatures down there. This whole sequence is fantastic and surprising. Meanwhile, the natives on the island are not doing well. Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson) is trying to learn the scientific cause of the troubles, but his wife is eager to just leave. Soon, of course, Peter, Anne, and the others arrive. And that’s when the real excitement begins. One unusual aspect of this film is that it is a horror movie that takes place mostly in daylight. The movie not only has plenty of excellent horror, such as that famous bit with the eye, but also quite a bit of suspense, helping to make it a favorite of the genre.

Disc 1 Special Features

This three-disc set contains a whole lot of special features. The first disc includes a brief introduction by Guillermo del Toro, and two separate commentary tracks. The first is by Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci And His Films. He talks a bit about the fact that the shark was trained and drugged. Actually more interesting are the anecdotes about the actor who couldn’t swim although she’d sworn she could. He also goes into the reasons why in Italy the film was titled Zombi 2. The second commentary track is by actor Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine editor Jason J. Slater. Ian tells an interesting anecdote about how they filmed illegally in New York, without permits. Weirdly, doing this commentary track offered him his first opportunity to see the film in its entirety.

The first disc also includes When The Earth Spits Out The Dead…, an interview with Stephen Thrower about Lucio Fulci and the film. Interestingly, Enzo Castellari turned down the project before Fulci came on board. Stephen talks about that great underwater sequence and of course that fantastic eye shot. This disc also contains two trailers, two television commercials and four radio spots. And there is a still photo gallery, including posters and lobby cards.

Disc 2 Special Features

The second disc contains a series of interviews with several people who worked on the film. Zombie Wasteland is a featurette with interviews with Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver and Ottaviano Dell’acqua. They talk about the film being banned, and about the effect the fans have had on them. It includes footage from a convention, and thoughts from some fans. This is approximately twenty-two minutes. Then Flesh Eaters On Film is an interview with co-producer Fabrizio De Angelis. Interestingly, he starts by saying that as an audience member, he’s not a fan of horror films because he gets too frightened. This interview is approximately ten minutes. Deadtime Stories contains interviews with co-writers Elisa Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti, who talk about how the project came about. This is approximately fourteen minutes.

World Of The Dead contains interviews with cinematographer Sergio Salvati and production designer Walter Patriarca. Salvati talks about the eye scene, and the use of several different shots, as well as about the footage from the helicopter, and how that was accomplished. Patriarca talks about the church set, and the use of a bulldozer to make it tilt. This is approximately sixteen minutes. Zombi Italiano has interviews with special effects artists Gianetto De Rossi, Maurizio Train and Gino De Rossi. They talk about the need to give the zombies a look they hadn’t had before, and about the use of worms in the makeup. They talk about the shark/zombie scene and of course the eyeball scene, and also about the bridge scene, having to create the zombies quickly for it. This is approximately seventeen minutes.

Notes On A Headstone is an interview with composer Fabio Frizzi, and is approximately seven minutes. That’s followed by All In The Family, an interview with Antonella Fulci, who talks about her father and his work. That is approximately six minutes. Zombie Love is an interview with Guillermo Del Toro in which he talks about Zombie, which he calls one of his favorite movies.

Disc 3: Soundtrack

The third disc is an audio CD containing the film’s soundtrack, approximately twenty-eight minutes of music. The first track has a pleasant, bright, cheerful island vibe. Then beginning with the second track we start getting into the creepier, more intense themes. The third track is percussion, giving the sense of impending danger, the impression of being stalked on an island. The fourth track is also percussion, but faster now, louder, like everything is closer to you. The fifth track has a more electronic, eerie sound. Then we get back into tense territory with the sixth track, which builds in intensity. The seventh track is more cool percussion. The eighth track contains the familiar theme. The CD’s final track is titled “There’s No Matter,” and is a disco song with vocals. This song quickly grew on me.

This set also includes a booklet with an article by Stephen Thrower titled “We Are Going to Eat You! Zombies Vs. The Critics.”

This special 3-disc edition of Zombie was released on November 27, 2018 through Blue Underground.

DVD Review: Indian Point

There is a lot to be worried about these days, when it appears that fascism is spreading, including here in the United States, and gun violence is becoming an everyday occurrence. But the older concerns have not gone away, concerns like those over the dangers of nuclear energy. Indian Point is a documentary film about the nuclear energy plant in Buchanan, New York, and the efforts to shut it down.

The film begins with news footage of the explosion at the Fukushima reactor in Japan, a disaster which raised new concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants in the United States, including Indian Point, which is just thirty-five miles north of New York City. This documentary takes us inside the plant, with Senior Control Room Supervisor Brian Vangor acting as our guide. The place is fascinating, of course, and there is a lot of excellent footage, as well as some information on how it works and what the safety measures are. Vangor tells us, “Water is a great shield, so everything happens under at least twenty-three feet of water,” adding that cuts down on ninety-nine percent of the radiation coming out of the fuel assembly. The people at the plant talk about they applied knowledge gained from accidents at other plants to make sure nothing similar happened there. The documentary shows us footage of safety drills set in place after Fukushima.

We hear from environmental activists too. After one woman points out a few of the dangers of nuclear power, she asks, “Why am I perceived as the hysterical one?” Good question. The problems include the fact that, as one activist tells us, “Six percent of the U.S. population lives within fifty miles of Indian Point, and the emergency plan is based on a ten-mile evacuation zone.” He adds, “We’re screwed, basically.” The population in the area has grown significantly since the plant opened, and the evacuation plan would leave most people in the area stuck. There is some interesting and frightening information about the renewal process for nuclear power plants, and about spent fuel pools. There is also some compelling and depressing material on the effect the plants has had on the ecosystem of the Hudson River.

By the way, since this documentary was released, the fight to get Indian Point shut down grew stronger, and last year the New York governor announced that the plant would close in 2021.

Special Features

The DVD includes several deleted and extended scenes, including more footage from within the plant and more on the safety concerns and the efforts to shut the plant down. There is also more footage of Brian Vangor’s personal life and interests, and an interview with the mayor of Buchanan. One of the most interesting scenes is about the emergency plans for the plant. It’s also interesting to see the director of communications at Entergy (the company that owns Indian Point) going to a classroom to address the concerns of students. This bonus footage contains a lot of information, more than you might expect from deleted scenes.

Indian Point was directed by Ivy Meeropol, and was released on DVD on October 25, 2016 through First Run Features.

DVD Review: Heavy Trip

Heavy Trip is a comedy about a heavy metal band that believes it has a chance to jump-start its career by playing a metal festival. It is largely told from the perspective of Turo, the band’s lead singer, who provides a bit of narration at the beginning of the film, introducing the other band members and giving little tidbits about each (for example, guitarist Lotvonen works in his father’s reindeer slaughterhouse). After he introduces Jynkky, the drummer, as the “toughest guy in our band,” we see Jynkky collapse, leading the others to wonder if he has died again (which of course calls to mind the fate of drummers in This Is Spinal Tap).

Turo, Lotvonen, Pasi and Junkky have been friends since early childhood, and their dream has always been to have a band and to play for a big audience. Though they practice all the time, they have never played an actual gig, the agreement being that they wouldn’t gig until they had original material. “We’re not playing covers,” bassist Pasi says. But, hell, check out that fantastic metal version of Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock And Roll.” And yeah, there is a nod to Tom Cruise’s dance scene from Risky Business, but Turo (unlike Cruise) has an audience of sorts, a seriously funny moment. Anyway, the band learns that writing an original song isn’t as easy as it sounds. Every riff Lotvonen comes up with is one that Pasi recognizes from an existing song. But then a mishap at the slaughter house where Lotvonen works creates the perfect metal sound. The shot of the four band members enjoying the sound while the legs of a reindeer bounce about in the machine is bloody hilarious.

When a metal festival promoter happens by to get some reindeer blood, the band manages to convince him to accept a demo tape of their song. And they hang all their hopes on this festival in Norway. The town gets behind them too, with people who once teased them now seeing in them something to be proud of. The question is, Do they really have the gig?

Heavy Trip is a lot of fun, with some hilarious moments, like when the band purchases a tour van. The description of the van’s history is perfect. But the film also has heart, and is about the dynamics of a small town as much as it is about these musicians attempting to make it. There is also, of course, a love interest for Turo, a beautiful florist named Miia who is being pursued by the small town’s other lead singer, Jouni. And there are references and nods to some other famous films about bands. The cops trying to catch the band as they make their way to the festival will remind you of The Blues Brothers. And to make sure you make that connection, one character says, “We’re on a mission from Satan,” a line that made me laugh out loud.

Special Features

The DVD contains several special features, including a reel of short deleted scenes and outtakes (one of which has another reference to The Blues Brothers). There is also Heavy Trip Goes To Texas, in which two of the characters from the film – Turo and Jouni – are in Texas in order to make Turo a star, getting interviewed by a Christian magazine, trying to buy another large animal so they can write another song, making a music video, and so on. This feature is approximately fourteen minutes. Also included is a short piece with musicians’ reactions to Impaled Rektum. An audio track of the song “Flooding Secretions” is included, and there is also a song from Jouni Tulkku’s band, with the lyrics on the screen so you can sing along. The film’s trailer is also included.

Heavy Trip was directed by Jukka Vidgren and Juuso Laatio, and is presented in its original Finnish with optional English subtitles. The DVD was released on November 20, 2018 through Doppelganger Releasing, part of Music Box Films.

DVD Review: My Letter To The World

My Letter To The World is a documentary about one of the most intriguing and beloved American poets, Emily Dickinson. It is narrated by Cynthia Nixon, who portrayed Emily Dickinson in the 2016 film A Quiet Passion. The documentary has other ties to that film as well, being produced by the same team, and featuring an interview with Terence Davies, who directed A Quiet Place. It also features a bit of footage from that film, and some behind-the-scenes footage. Fortunately, there is a lot of information in this film, with many interviews with scholars, keeping it from feeling like a promotional piece for A Quiet Passion.

Among those interviewed is Jane Wald, who is the executive director of the Emily Dickinson Museum, which is in the home where Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. Mike Kelly, the head of the archives at Amherst College, is also interviewed, and shows us some of the items from the collection, including “the one and only authenticated portrait of Emily Dickinson,” as he tells us. Kelly also displays a copy of the issue of the college literary magazine that featured Emily Dickinson’s first published work. Christopher Benfey, a professor of English, offers some interesting information regarding the earliest publication of her poetry, mentioning that the first editor made lots of changes to the poems, “changing words and regularizing the punctuation and the capitalization.” Her photo was also doctored: “They added little curls.” It is interesting that they attempted to make both the poems and the poet herself more acceptable to an audience.

And of course the film treats us to some of her poetry as well as her letters, and these really give us a sense of who she was, how she thought. Leslie A. Morris, the curator of modern books at Harvard University, tells us: “She speaks to people in a very personal way. She speaks to a deep emotion.” Several of those interviewed also talk about the musicality of her poetry, how it can be sung. There is also some fascinating material on alternate versions of her poems, plus the various items she would write on – envelopes, chocolate wrappers and so on. I appreciate that a good deal of her actual written manuscripts are shown on screen. The film also includes lots of shots of nature, for, as one person mentions, her god was a god of nature.

It is not just Dickinson’s work that so fascinates scholars and readers, but her life. She is famous for being reclusive, and not leaving her home. But that was only later in her life. The documentary mentions her dog and the effect the animal had on her life. For while the dog lived, Emily was active, walking it about the town. After the dog died, she became drawn to seclusion. There is also some mention, some speculation on Emily Dickinson’s sexuality, particularly because of that mysterious Daguerreotype which may or may not depict Emily and another woman, but also because of her love for Susan Gilbert. That material is, as you might guess, some of the most interesting of the film. But it is her writing that is at the center of this enjoyable and moving documentary.

Special Features

The DVD includes readings of several of Emily Dickinson’s poems, including “Because I Could Not Stop For Death,” “I Heard A Fly Buzz,” “To Fight Aloud Is Very Brave,” “We Never Know We Go When We Are Going,” “I Reason, Earth Is Short,” “This Is My Letter To The World,” “Because I Could Not Stop For Death” and “The Dying Need But Little, Dear.” The readings are done by Cynthia Nixon and Terence Davies. The film’s trailer is also included in the special features.

My Letter To The World was directed by Solon Papadopoulus, and was released on DVD on June 12, 2018 through Music Box Films.

Blu-ray Review: Golden Temple Amazons

Golden Temple Amazons is one of the odder films in Jess Franco’s work, in part because there is some question about how much of it Franco actually directed. A credit at the beginning calls the film a “Jess Frank Presentation,” but then James Gartner is credited as the director. James Gartner is not one of Franco’s many pseudonyms, but is actually a pseudonym for Alain Payet. Some claim that Jess Franco directed the entire thing, while others believe the film was co-directed, and others believe that Franco began the film (under a different title), and then Alain Payet finished it. It was released in 1986, but has many similarities to Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro, which came out in 1983, so perhaps that last idea is the correct one.

As the film opens, several women are riding horses, their naked breasts bouncing in slow motion. When they arrive at the home of the Simpsons, they demand that Mr. Simpson comes out. When he complies, they put an arrow in his chest. His wife is likewise killed. As the women leave, the couple’s young daughter, Liana, comes round from the back of the house to discover her parents’ bodies. The film then jumps to several years later, and Liana (Analia Ivars, but credited as Joan Virly) has grown into an attractive woman who befriends and rides elephants. (There is some really nice elephant footage, marred only by one of the worst soundtracks to ever make it into a film.) Liana is friendly with a wide variety of animals, actually, including giraffes and a chimpanzee (or is it a monkey?). Father Johnstone (Olivier Mathot, but credited as Oliver Matthew, who also appeared in Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro) arrives at the house. He was a friend to Mr. Simpson and has arrived to find out what happened to him. (Took him long enough, eh?) As he reads aloud to Liana from her father’s diary (her parents didn’t teach her how to read), we are treated to a flashback of the action in which Mr. Simpson first encounters the Amazon women and discovers their great caverns of gold. The women warn him to return the gold he’s taken and to leave the area, but he doesn’t heed their warnings. He’s kind of an asshole, actually. And his wife fires a gun in the women’s direction, making her not too sympathetic either. So, as with Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro, we quickly find ourselves siding with the tribe and not the so-called “civilized” man. Anyway, Liana vows revenge on the women who killed her shitty parents.

As she sets out on her search, she is almost immediately captured in a net by a tribe of men. But it turns out they only stopped her out of concern for her. (That’s how my friends try to keep me from making mistakes too!) Their plan doesn’t work, of course, and one of the tribe’s members ends up accompanying her on her quest. He is the tribe’s medicine man, and he is apparently there mainly for comic relief. They are also joined by a group of archeologists (after Liana was captured by their porters – you know, for a girl who grew up without parents in the jungle, she’s not very savvy about her surroundings). And the group goes off in search of adventure, a lost civilization and revenge.

Quite a bit of the film is dull and silly. The gold aluminum foil on the walls looks ridiculous, and the guy who is supposed to be hammering it is clearly hitting it gingerly so as not to tear it. And the cheap blond wigs often look terrible. But still, there are certainly some interesting moments and elements. The Amazons are actually ruled by a mysterious man named Uruck (William Berger) and his mistress Rena, a woman who worries that Liana will take her place. And the moment when Uruck takes Liana into his chamber is handled really well. We see that he rapes her, but the camera remains outside the room, with the guards and with Rena, who is humiliated after losing a fight with Liana. She is also humiliated and distraught because she is being replaced at that very moment. She is defeated, and Liana is being defeated, raped by the man who ordered the deaths of her parents. It’s an intriguing and strange and effective scene. This film also has a surprising amount of cool footage of animals. And remember, when things get weird: “Forget your archeology, let’s get out of here.”

Golden Temple Amazons is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on September 11, 2018 through MVD Visual as part of the MVD Classics series. The disc provides the option of watching the film dubbed in English or in its original French. The film’s trailer is included, as well as the trailer for Jess Franco’s Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro.

Blu-ray Review: Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro

Jess Franco was an unusual and incredibly prolific filmmaker (he directed between one hundred fifty and two hundred movies). Not all of his films are excellent, of course, but all of them have moments and elements that make them worth watching. Lately there has been a renewed interest in his work, which is good news, for it means that more of his films are getting Blu-ray and DVD releases. Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro might not be as popular as some of his other films, but it does feature a supporting performance by Lina Romay, Franco’s muse and second wife, who in appeared in much of his work. The film is now getting a Blu-ray release, as part of the MVD Classics series.

When the film opens, a small plane is in trouble, preparing for a crash landing, as a tribe below watches. When the two survivors emerge from the wreckage, the tribe kneels before them as if they are gods. A few years later, armed treasure-hunters make their way through the jungle and are suddenly surrounded by the tribe. One of the men is beaten until Diana, the young woman now grown, puts a halt to it. Interestingly, all the men of the tribe immediately get on their knees, but the one woman (who was administering the beating) remains standing, like she knows better. It’s a nice touch. The woman even questions Diana’s judgment when Diana demands the man be set free. He is warned to never return. By the way, both women are nearly naked. This is a Jess Franco film, after all.

The treasure-hunters go see Diana’s mother, a rich woman in her sick bed, who seems surrounded only by people who want her money. She is played by Lina Romay, who began acting in Jess Franco films a decade earlier. Though she doesn’t have a large role in this film, her presence is appreciated. The explorers offer to mount an expedition to find and return her daughter if only she’ll finance it. She sees them as thieves right away (the women in this film are much smarter than the men), but takes them up on her offer, for she must cling to hope of seeing her daughter again. But can she trust them? Even her relatives are only after the inheritance, and don’t want Diana to return for that very reason. These characters are all greedy and self-centered, making the world of the tribe all the more appealing. It’s an intriguing effect, as the viewer can’t wait to get back to the jungle, where the people might be cannibals but at least they’re honest. It’s the opposite of how most films of this genre make the viewer feel. And into the jungle the team goes, after a girl none of them actually wishes to save. With such questionable motives, how could anything possibly go wrong? Well, it doesn’t help that one of them shoots the first native they encounter. But remember, “Any man who thinks too much of his honor is no good in bed.”

This film has a lot of the stylistic elements that Jess Franco is known for – interesting use of sound, zooms, moments of odd focus, extreme close-ups of people, and wide and sometimes gorgeous shots showing the landscape. He always makes the most of his locations, as he does here. The film is presented in English, and like all Jess Franco films that are dubbed, the dubbing has much room for improvement. And it’s not just a matter of things not being in sync. One character is referred to as Diana’s cousin at first, though he is clearly much too old, and then later referred to as her uncle, which makes more sense. However, like all dubbed Jess Franco films, the poor dubbing becomes part of the film’s charm. There is also a moment when in a wide shot you can see a note written in French in blue marker, and then in the close-up, it’s suddenly in English in black marker. There is also a strange moment when one character almost becomes Gollum from Lord Of The Rings when talking about his stones.

Diamonds Of Kilimandjaro is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on September 11, 2018 through MVD Visual. By the way, even though the Blu-ray case indicates that the film is 83 minutes, the disc actually contains the 95-minute version. The Blu-ray contains the film’s trailer (which is in French), as well as the trailer for Jess Franco’s Golden Temple Amazons.

DVD Review: Of Horses And Men

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a film quite like Of Horses And Men before. Its subject, its tone, its style and its characters all feel singular to this movie. And that is remarkable. Clearly the film is a work of passion. At the end, there is this message: “No horses were hurt in the making of this film. The entire cast and crew are horse owners and horse lovers.” That message goes a long way in explaining how they got some of the tremendous footage that this film contains. But the extraordinary footage is only part of what makes this film a delight.

The movie begins with extreme close-up shots of various parts of a horse, until a shot of the animal’s eye reveals a man standing there. He is attempting to put a bridle on the horse, which he eventually manages to do. Though spread out, the community is close in spirit, and several people with binoculars wait for a glimpse of him riding his new horse. As the man proudly rides the horse, there are some shots of his face, and some of the horse’s face, as if each has his or her own thoughts, but maybe have the same goals. As he rides atop the mare, a stallion breaks free from a nearby pen and mounts the mare. The sun’s reflection on the binoculars in the distance alerts the man that everyone is witnessing his strange ménage à trois.  The man’s demeanor changes quite a bit after that, and the film takes a surprising turn.

What’s interesting is that after that, the film gives us a close-up of the eye of another horse, this time with a passing vehicle reflected in it. The vehicle’s driver spots a boat in the distance, and races back to a pen, from which he takes a horse and rides it into the water all the way to the boat. He makes it to the boat, only to purchase some rather potent alcohol, which then kills him. There is a wonderfully odd humor to this film, and at his funeral he is described by the minister as a man “who let nothing come between him and his goals.” It is a small, tight community, and the first man attends the funeral. So does his girlfriend, whose stallion was the one to violate his mare, and the two now seem estranged and do not speak to each other.

Each section of the film begins with a reflection in a horse’s eye, as if the action is from the perspective of the horses, which creates an interesting dynamic, as it is not just about the relationships between characters, but the relationships between the characters and the horses. The horses are a big part of the identity of these people and their community. The characters are all interconnected, so the film never feels like an anthology of stories. In addition to the excellent footage of the horses, there are gorgeous wide shots of the landscape, and some intense footage that brings us close to the human characters. For example, when one man cuts a barbed wire fence, the wire snaps and hits him in the face, blinding him. This movie also contains one of the oddest and most honest sex scenes I’ve ever seen in a film (and yes, binoculars come into play again). Okay, I suppose the movie actually has two of the oddest sex scenes I’ve seen, as we cannot forget that early threesome scene. There is also a scene where one of the characters acts like Han Solo on Hoth, using a horse to stay warm.

Of Horses And Men was directed by Benedikt Erlingsson, and was released on DVD on December 5, 2017 through Music Box Films. The film is presented in its original Icelandic, with English subtitles. The DVD contains the film’s trailer.

DVD Review: Dogs Of Democracy

Dogs Of Democracy is a documentary film that on its surface is about the stray dogs in Athens and the people that take care of them, an interesting topic in itself. But in addressing that topic, the film goes deeper to discuss the ways that people treat one another, particularly the ways that people treat the homeless. It was written and directed by Mary Zournazi, who also narrates the film.

At the beginning, Mary says that she took her first trip to Athens in order “to explore the culture of my ancestors.” But when she arrived, the city was in the middle of a crisis, with demonstrations in the streets. She saw something else unexpected in the streets, and that is the film’s focus – the stray dogs and the people caring for them. Several of these people are interviewed. Some, like Spiros, are actually homeless themselves. All of them are amiable and likeable, and it’s easy to connect with them and with what they are trying to do. “Traditionally we Greeks are on the side of the losers in a way,” says Eugenia, about caring for the dogs. “So it seems natural to us to favor them and be on their side.” Rita, another person who cares for these animals, tells us, “The stray dogs of Athens are the souls of the streets.”

“Like Gandhi says, you can tell what a culture is like by how it looks after the weakest in the community and how it treats its animals,” Rita says. And this idea is really at the heart of the film. It’s interesting to me that all the stray dogs have names, and that the people know their names. Many even have collars. The documentary ties the idea of these stray dogs to the growing homeless population. Many people had suddenly found themselves unemployed and on the streets because of the economic crisis.

The film does get a bit into the history of the city’s changing attitudes toward the stray dogs. And yes, there is a lot of adorable footage of the dogs. These dogs are not at all shy about coming right up to the camera. There is even some funny footage, like the odd standoff between a car and a dog, with the dog barking at the car, and the car honking at the dog. Who will yield? But the most interesting footage is of the dogs at the demonstrations with protestors. You get the sense the dogs know exactly what is going on and what is at stake. One particular dog becomes associated with the movement, and is even referred to as the protestors’ “guardian angel.” The people being interviewed tell some incredible and moving anecdotes, and the film carries messages of hope and kindness.

Dogs Of Democracy was released on DVD on June 26, 2018 through MVD Visual. The DVD contains the film’s trailer.

Blu-ray Review: Greaser’s Palace

Greaser’s Palace is a strange and wonderful biblical comedy set in the old west, delivering not only laughs but also shocks and heartache. It stars Allan Arbus (Coffy, the television series M.A.S.H.) as Jessy, a Jesus-like figure who wants to become a professional entertainer and heals folks along the way. It has now been released on Blu-ray, which includes an interview with director Robert Downey.

Much of the film takes place in a small town run by Mr. Greaser. Citizens are forced to be tribute to him, and he seems to hold the power of life and death over them (though no power over his own bowels). He keeps a band in a jail cell on his roof, and even holds his own mother in a cell. Yet he doesn’t seem evil. He doesn’t appear to be the devil character in the story. When we first see the town, a woman is singing a song about adultery to an audience of appreciative men. The song is hilarious, but among the crowd is the Holy Ghost – a man in a sheet and hat, smoking a cigar. After he puts his cigar out on the chest of Lamy Greaser, there is some mayhem, until Lamy is gunned down by his father. Yes, the movie is full of strange surprises like that.

Meanwhile, a family makes its way across the land in a covered wagon, hoping to meet Mr. Greaser so that the woman can sing for him. The young boy is played by Robert Downey, Jr., by the way, in an uncredited role. Behind the carriage, Jessy parachutes down to Earth. He wears a zoot suit, a wide yellow tie, a pink hat and white gloves. And there is a certain spring to his step as he walks along. When the Holy Ghost delivers to him the body of Lamy, Jessy brings him back to life, saying he needs his help to pursue a career as an actor and singer. (And there is a running joke about the William Morris Agency.) What is interesting is that both Jessy and the woman are seeking basically the same thing – a career as an entertainer. We see Jessy’s journey, and we see the family’s journey, and we hope they will meet up soon, especially after the woman wakes to find that both her man and her boy have been killed during the night.

There is quite a bit of death in this film, though much of it is directed at poor Lamy, whom his father dispatches a few more times. People begin to follow Jessy after seeing him bring Lamy back from the dead. And there is a wonderful scene where Jessy walks on water, even performing a somersault, in order to entertain his followers. Interestingly, his followers include Mr. Greaser. As I mentioned, Mr. Greaser doesn’t come across as evil. At one point, Mr. Greaser tells Coo Coo, “I wish I could put my arms around each and every one of them and let them know that everything is going to be okay.” After Coo Coo asks him why he doesn’t do just that, Mr. Greaser responds, “I’m not bizarre enough.” A surprising response.

There are a lot of funny lines and moments and situations in this film. When Jessy is stopped by a group of afflicted individuals who wish to be healed, one of them ends up repeating joyously, “I can crawl again!” Another tells him to get his hands off him. The religious characters in the story – a nun and a monk – are disappointed in this messiah. What is interesting is that Jessy questions his own identity, which the monk calls blasphemy. And if you’re wondering if God plays a role in this story, since Jesus and the Holy Ghost are present, the answer is yes. And one of my favorite moments is when Jessy tells his father, “I really don’t trust you.” The sound is also kind of intriguing in this film. There are moments when the film is nearly silent, as when the woman wakes to find her husband and son with their throats cut. Certainly not something you’d expect from a comedy. But this film strange and glorious film takes us on its own peculiar ride, and meets us on its own terms, and proves once again that the best decade for film was the 1970s.

Special Features

The Blu-ray includes an interview with director Robert Downey, in which he talks about the film. He says there is no spiritual message. “I just wanted to have fun.” He talks about casting Allan Arbus, and tells some funny and odd anecdotes, including one about his son.

The special features also include trailers for Seizure, Doctor Death, Hollywood Boulevard, Conduct Unbecoming (I need to see this one), Saint Jack (I love that movie), and Aloha, Bobby And Rose.

Greaser’s Palace was released on Blu-ray on June 5, 2018 through Scorpion Releasing and Music Box Films.

Blu-ray Review: Godmonster Of Indian Flats

Godmonster Of Indian Flats is a strange and kind of goofy, yet enjoyable film about a sheep herder who discovers a strange creature among his sheep, and about the corrupt town nearby. It’s sort of a horror film, but it is the citizenry of the town that is more frightening than the actual creature. It was written and directed by Fredric Hobbs, who also made Alabama’s Ghost, and was released in 1973. It is now getting a Blu-ray release, thanks to the good folks at American Genre Film Archive, Something Weird, and MVD Visual, and the disc contains a lot of special features.

The film has kind of a wonderful opening. It starts out in the country, with shots of sheep being transported. And a man is riding in the back of the truck with the sheep. Then suddenly the truck stops and the man, wearing a furry vest and cowboy hat, gets out. The truck drives away, revealing that the man, Eddie (Richard Marion), is in Reno. The music and tone suddenly change to let in the sounds of the city. Eddie steps into a casino, and the music and tone change again, with eerie, creepy sounds dominating the soundtrack. But on his first try at a slot machine, Eddie wins, and so the sounds of the casino begin, as if the city has now welcomed him, accepted him. And soon Eddie is also welcomed by a group of people at the casino, who take him to another town. This entire opening sequence is done really well, with a style and expertise you might not expect from a movie like this.

The place they arrive appears to be an old west town that progress forgot, and in a saloon Eddie has his pocket picked and is roughed up. Fortunately, Dr. Clemens (E. Kerrigan Prescott), a college professor with a laboratory on the outskirts of town, comes to his aid and drives him back to his sheep farm. And as Eddie goes to sleep with his sheep, well, things get weird. When Clemens and his assistant, Mariposa, check in on Eddie the next day, they find him in shock next to a strange creature in the hay. They take both Eddie and the creature back to the lab to study the creature and take care of it. As the creature grows, we see that it is part sheep, part humanoid, which makes us wonder just what Eddie has been doing with his sheep. Eddie isn’t the only one with perhaps unnatural tendencies with regard to sheep. Though he and Mariposa seem to have become an item, Mariposa looks to be more interested in the creature, swooning and trying to engage it in some weird sort of dance. “I’ve been following you all the way from the Glory Hole,” she tells the creature.

But as I mentioned, it is some of the people in the town that are the real weirdos here. There is Mr. Silverdale, who restored the town so that it could become an historical landmark, and who hates tourists. There is Philip, his associate, an anxious, egotistical man. There is a crooked sheriff, a fortune teller named Alta, and a guy who lives at the dump, poking through garbage. Joining them is Mr. Barnstable, a man who has come to town with instructions to purchase the land, and who is mistreated by the town leaders. We also get a funeral for a dog that isn’t really dead, a seemingly racist vigilante squad, and strange and dangerous gases rising from the mines.

Yes, the acting is uneven. Yes, there are some ridiculous and goofy moments, like when Clemens finds those bones easily in a pile of dirt. And the ending is crazy and unexpected. But it’s an enjoyable movie nonetheless.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains quite a bit of bonus material. There is a short film about studying UFOs that is narrated at the beginning, almost like the movie is being read to us. Hey, one guy was beamed aboard a craft, just like in Star Trek. And remember: “Abe in 1860, Gabe in 1960.” This short is approximately thirty-six minutes. Just In Case: Suppression Of School Bus Fires is an educational short film on how to set school buses on fire, and about how children are horrible. This one is approximately twenty-five minutes. White Gorilla is a short film about an expedition that comes across a white gorilla. It is approximately ten minutes.

There are also trailers for films like Creature From Black Lake, Grizzly (“the deadliest jaws on land belong to Grizzly”), The Mysterious Monsters, South Of Hell Mountain, and Man Beast.

But the main special feature is actually a second feature-length film. Titled The Legend Of Bigfoot, this 1975 film was directed by Harry Stuart Winer, and is about a tracker who becomes obsessed with finding Bigfoot. It’s an odd film, featuring some excellent nature footage. At one point, the tracker is called to Alaska to hunt down a bear that was supposedly killing cattle. But he knew immediately that the bear wasn’t responsible. There is some nice footage of bears, by the way. One of the people there claims that Bigfoot was responsible for the deaths of the cattle. And this is the beginning of the tracker’s interest in the legend. The tracker narrates the film.

Godmonster Of Indian Flats is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on July 10, 2018.