Eye Witness

 

Director - Lamberto Bava (Body Puzzle, Devil Fish)

Starring - Barbara Cupisti (Cemetery Man, Mothers), Stefano Davanzati (Dagger Eyes, The Final Executioner), Alessio Orano (Lisa and the Devil, Summer Affair)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror/Crime

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been fortunate to review several box sets and collections over the years but this High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava from my friends over at Severin Films has really impressed.  It's not often that you find a set of films where every movie in the set is enjoyable but this one has done it.  You can say that I'm being a bit biased because I am a fan of Bava's but these films really are entertaining but I wouldn't call them all horror.  In fact, some of the films may have some horror aspects scattered throughout, but they are mostly crime thrillers or dark drama.  I just finished the fourth and final film in the set, Eye Witness.  This one, much like the first film, feels a lot like a classic slasher meets a crime thriller.  It was a great movie but not necessarily a horror tale.  Regardless, it was worth it!

     The film follows a pair trying to steal from a department store before closing time.  However, as one of them leaves, the other is left behind to wait for them to fetch the car when one of the employees is murdered.  She is there for the horrible crime but doesn't see it because she is blind.  However, she did hear and smell the killer which is the best the detectives can get for the crime.  The killer tries to cover up their lose ends and suspects that the blind witness can sense them resulting in a game of cat and mouse between the two.

     These four made for television films from Lamberto Bava were really strange to me.  I know every country has different rules and regulations but I can't see how Bava thought any of these films would be able to air on television.  This is not the most gruesome of the four films but it is one with a little more focus on sex.  Regardless, it makes sense why not all of these films aired on television and this one was another fun one to watch.  The acting in this one is very consistent.  I've seen movies and television shows where the cast is visually impaired and it was evident that was not the case here.  It was a bit campy at times watching react while pretending to be blind.  Also, a few of the scenes at the beginning of the film is a bit stiff.  I can only assume that the film was shot in order and the cast slowly became more comfortable in their roles.  The story for this one has some horror elements but it it's base is a crime thriller.  The movie gives you the killer fairly early on with the tension and buildup taking place as this woman who is visually impaired is stalked by the known killer.  It's predictable and while it was enjoyable for a first time watch, it doesn't really have replay value like the other films in the set.  Finally, this film does have a few deaths but they are not as gruesome as I was expecting.  The first film in the set really set the tone for what Bava could do with practical effects but the three films since have not really followed in it's footsteps.  This one has some skin, some blood, and that is about the extent of it.  Overall, Eye Witness feels like it wants to be a giallo of sorts but doesn't fully commit to it.  It's a solid film but it is predictable and doesn't really have any replay value.  Check it out but don't expect it to be your new favorite film.  

School of Fear

Director - Lamberto Bava (Demons, Demons 2)

Starring - Alessandra Acciai (The Big Dream, The Youngest Son), Jean Hebert (Brivido Giallo, La Piovra), and Viola Simoncioni (The Betrothed, Club Vacanze)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      This High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava has been a lot of fun so far.  I was afraid that this set would be like the Cliff Twemlow and Danza Macabra Volume Four where some of the films would be unforgettable and the rest would be a tough watch.  However, that has not been the case up to this point.  I may be a bit biased because I am a huge fan of Bava's but these four films were brand new to me.  The first two in the set were great with one not being a horror film like I was expecting.  Regardless, it was a lot of fun and I couldn't wait for the third film which the 1993 film School of Fear.  

     The film follows a teacher with a sorted past sent to an elite school where the former teacher fell to her death.  She starts to worry about her students the more she gets to know them before becoming alarmed by a secret game they refuse to let adults know about.  She becomes obsessed when one of her students doesn't return to class and she suspects the other students are behind it.  She becomes linked with a local detective but he doesn't believe her either.  However, that changes when she goes missing on a school trip and he suspects the students are behind it.

     Calling School of Fear a horror title is a bit of a stretch.  It has a lot of horror elements but at the end of the day it's no more the day it was nothing more than a dark thriller.  Don't get me wrong.  This was a solid film, especially from Bava, but it was a lot like The Man Who Wouldn't Die.  It had it's dark moments but just wasn't a horror film when it was all said and done.  The acting in this one was my favorite in the set by far.  The characters in this one are more natural and well grounded.  The children, while young, have better acting chops than most of the veterans with years, or even decades, of experience in front of the camera.  This is where talent, direction, and solid writing collide to create an entertaining experience for the viewer.  The story for this one is exactly what I would expect from a made for television movie.  It's not really horror, as I stated earlier, but it does borrow some horror elements.  With that being said, the film is a very dark thriller where the children are mysterious and menacing.  Well, as menacing as rich children with no conscience can be.  I do like the story and how well it played out but it is predictable with very little replay value.  Finally, don't expect a bloody or violent film like the previous two.  This one has just a little blood and a lot of character development.  Overall, School of Fear is nowhere near the top of my favorite Lamberto Bava films but it is enjoyable.  It's worth a watch especially if you are taking the time to watch the other films in this set. 

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Director(s) - Kevin Altieri (Stripperella, Transformers Prime), Boyd Kirkland (Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero, Wolverine and the X-Men), and Frank Paur (Gargoyles, Spawn)

Starring - Kevin Conroy (Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie), Dana Delany (Tombstone, The Batman), and Hart Bochner (Die Hard, Supergirl)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The dark knight fights to save Gotham City from it's deadliest enemy"

Forma - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I’ve been lucky enough to watch and review several of the animated Batman films over the last five years or so. The DC animated universe releases or films that I often get very excited for and when they find their mark they are seriously enjoyable. The great thing about the DC animated films is that they are continuously releasing new films while remastering and re-releasing some of the older films. When I was a kid I remember seeing TV spots and posters for Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. I remember immediately thinking of the Don Coscarelli film Phantasm and my imagination took over as I imagined Batman taking on the Tall Man and his legion of undead dwarves. Sadly, I never got around to seeing it and over the years I had completely forgot about it until I received the UHD release for review. I had heard nothing but good things about this one and I couldn’t wait to dig into it. I want to thank WB and DC for sending this one over.

      The film bounces between Bruce Wayne at the beginning of his crime fighting career when he was romantically involved with a beautiful and current day when leaders of the organized crime world are being hunted down by a caped villain. Everyone, including the police, suspect that the one behind the murders is Batman forcing him to work quickly to uncover the real killer while exploring his own past. 

      Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is based on the Batman Animated series and features one hell of a voice cast. While I do see why so many Batman fans enjoy this animated feature I will admit I am a bit underwhelmed. I absolutely loved the animated series as a kid but this film didn’t really have the same appeal and flow as the show. I was recently sent the show on blu for review and was able to revisit this classic series. While it has been some time since then I can still remember it very well. The film is decent but it is nowhere near the level of the show. The voice acting in this one gave me chills especially now after the passing of long time Batman/Bruce Wayne Kevin Conroy. It wouldn’t be an animated Batman film with Conroy if it didn’t have Mark Hamill as The Joker. We also have appearances from Stacey Keach, Dana Delany, and so many more. The voice casting in this is so impressive and everyone does a phenomenal job. The story for this one has a fantastic character arch and one hell of a reveal. However, the impact of the film is lost in the film’s flashbacks that throws off the flow of the film. The pacing is all off and the film’s climatic moments is made ineffective with the random flashbacks. The film needed a more traditional story that moves in a linear path instead of back and forth like it is. Finally, I love the film’s animation style. It’s the same style as the animated series and is more a traditional take on American cartoons. I love the look and it works well with the action sequences and the various assortment of characters. We also get the classic Gotham backdrops that was seen in the show which is another thing that I loved about the show. The back drop and still paintings look so fucking good. Overall, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the more popular Batman animated films but I can think of better ones. However, it’s still a fantastic film that deserves a watch. The UHD release looks gorgeous and should be in any fan’s collection. Check it out.

Remote

Director - Ted Nicolaou (Bad Channels, Dragonworld)

Starring - Chris Carrara (In Living Color, Pucked), Jessica Bowman (Joy Ride, Baywatch), and John Diehl (National Lampoon's Vacation, D.C. Cab)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Comedy/Crime

Tagline - "A comedy for the whole family"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     As I continue my Full Moon and Moonbeam marathon I end up with a film that I had only seen one time when I was growing up.  I wasn't like many of the kids my age.  I never cared for the Christmas hit Home Alone.  I don't know if I ever liked it but the holiday season crammed it and the sequel down our throats really turned me off to the film.  However, over the years, especially in the 90s, there was several Home Alone rip offs that popped up here and there.  Most found their way to the children's section in your local video store.  One such film was Moonbeam's Remote from acclaimed director Ted Nicolaou.  I remember watching this one with a cousin when I was a kid. It was fun but not one that really stuck out with me.  When Full Moon announced that the film was hitting blu I used this as an excuse to revisit it.  I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to hook me up with a copy.

     The film follows Randy (Carrara) who is often left alone with his remote contraptions while his parents are away with work.  He often takes his toys to a new development on the edge of town to play with them in the homes that have not been sold.  However, one day his innocent trip takes an unexpected turn when three goons who recently robbed a bank decide to crash one of the unoccupied homes.  Now, he's stuck in the attack and the only way out is to use his remote controlled toys.

     Remote is probably my least favorite of the Moonbeam films that I've seen but it's bad.  In fact, it has some fun moments but it's resemblance to Home Alone is unmistakable.  The entire time you are watching the film you find yourself comparing it to the Christmas classic.  It's not original but it is fun and a time machine back to the mid-90s with the high end electronics the film's story is centered around.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  It's not the best in the world but for a film featuring nearly inexperienced children it finds a way to entertain.  There are plenty of awkward scenes and dry dialogue but the story carries us through when the cast cannot.  The story for this one is a clone of Home Alone with the Christmas season replaced with a summer setting and Moonbeam/Full Moon went above and beyond to showcase the best RC vehicles they could find to incorporate into the film.  When you combine both of these elements you get a decent film for a first time watch.  However, it's not a film you can revisit as often as the other films.  It's predictable and not that cleverly written but it's still fun for the occasional light-hearted watch.  Finally, Remote doesn't really have any effects.  It's a lot of shots of RC cars, planes, and helicopters but no blood.  Overall, Remote is a solid release from Full Moon but it's not something you will binge over and over.  I liked it but it's nothing like some other Moonbeam releases.  

TC 2000

Director - T. J. Scott (Star Trek: Discovery, Gotham)

Starring - Billy Blanks (The Last Boy Scout, Back in Action), Bolo Yeung (Bloodsport, Double Impact), and Jalal Merhi (Tiger Claws, The Circuit)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The year is 2020.  He's mostly human, and totally invincible... until now."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I lived through the video age and have fond memories of checking out all the amazing artwork for the different VHS releases at my locally owned video store, Dewey's Video.  I was born in the mid-80s and lived through the 90s so I was a product of the video store and 90s television.  The 90s was a hotbed for infomercials that have become a part of pop culture history.  Many my age can remember Miss Cleo, Pure Moods, and lastly, Tae Bo.  Tae Bo was a popular work out meets martial arts routine created by it's host Billy Blanks.  Aside from these commercials, I knew nothing of Billy Blanks until a few years later when I spotted him on the cover of a direct to video action flick.  I was fucking floored and quickly snagged the DVD of it.  When I was able to check it out I was very unimpressed by it.  I turned my back on the film and Blanks until recently when Vinegar Syndrome started releasing several of his films on blu.  I fucking love Vin Syn so it was a matter of time before I snagged copies of these films for my collection.  I've been sitting on their release of TC 2000 for several months now and decided to finally check out as the beginning of my Billy Blanks marathon.

     The film is set in a future where the rich and important have moved underground while the poor, less fortunate, and undesirables are forced to live above ground.  The film follows partners who are officers in the underground but when one of them is murdered the other becomes the prime suspect.  He flees to the surface to look for clues as to why he was set up while his deceased partner is turned into a crime fighting machine.

     When I originally ordered this one and was checking out the synopsis I was under the impression that Blanks was starring in a Robocop clone where he would be an unstoppable cyborg like character but that is far from the truth.  The film does have a touch of Robocop but its nothing like the artwork paints.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from an early 90s direct to video action flick.  Blanks is the biggest ham I've ever seen on screen.  His cliched one liners and emotionless stare is unintentionally funny but not a negative.  The supporting cast is more of the same.  The cast really tries but the flat writing and generic characters makes this one easy to forget and often difficult to finish.  The story for this one is like I said earlier.  It's a touch of Robocop with some comparisons to Demolition Man which was released the same year.  The film follows a society that has moved underground while those living in squalor and filth are forced to live on the surface.  This is the exact opposite of Demolition Man but the point remains the same.  We then have the character that dies and is brought back as more machine than human.  Though it's not Blanks character like the artwork portrays it's still a part of the story.  You then fill the film with lots of choreographed fights scenes that make no sense then you have TC 2000.  It's not very imaginative but does fit right at home with the other direct to video sci-fi action flicks.  Finally, the film has a little blood but they are poorly done and don't really work.  This film does not have a body count or memorable deaths which is a real travesty.  Overall, TC 2000 is an interesting concept but the execution is way off.  I wanted to love it, especially since Vin Syn was behind the release, but it was no fun at all.  Skip it.  

Ticks

Director - Tony Randel (Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Children of the Night)

Starring - Roselind Allen (Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, Freddy's Nightmares), Ami Dolenz (Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings, Stepmonster), and Seth Green (Weird Science, Idle Hands)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Something hungry is about to hatch"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love Vinegar Syndrome for the fact that they put so much time and energy into films that most of us have never heard of before yet alone seen.  However, on the very rare occasion they release something that I had seen before and the release is a must own.  I collect Vin Syn as it is but on these rare occasions this release is a do or die buy.  When Vin Syn announced the release of the 1993 horror film Ticks I was beside myself.  Ticks is a childhood favorite of mine that I watched many times growing up after snagging the VHS from a local video store.  The movie was released for a limited time on blu from Olive Films but quickly went out of print like another film under the Vin Syn umbrella, Boardinghouse.  I couldn't wait to revisit this one especially on UHD.  

     The film follows a group of inner city youths who go deep in the woods as part of a camping trip.  An idyllic camping trip turns deadly when a chemical being used by marijuana growers finds it's way into a hermit's water supply mutating a nest of ticks into giant versions of themselves.  Out of their element and surrounded by woods, the youngsters but fight off the blood thirsty creatures while the two gun wielding pot farmers try to kill them to keep their farm a secret.  

     I know a lot of horror fans love Ticks but I also know just as many people that dislike it.  I can see why some may not like it as much as I do but I find it impossible to completely hate this film.  This is one of the many films I reference to genre fans that often bash horror titles from the 90s.  It's bloody, violent, and well acted while still paying tribute to the fantastic creature effects that made 80s horror so much fun.  Honestly, this is easily among my top favorite 90s horror titles and in my top five favorite Vin Syn releases.  The acting in this one is great.  We have Idle Hand's Seth Green and Carlton himself Alfonso Ribeiro.  Genre fans can find Green in several horror titles but the fact that we find Ribeiro in this gem makes it a stand out performance from his long career.  What makes his performance so much fun is not only is he great with his character but the fact his character is part of the gooiest scene in the film.  It was unexpected and I love how far he was willing to go for the film.  Green's performance is just as fun along with most of the cast.  We also get a small performance from cult icon Clint Howard who also joins in on the bloody fun.  The cast is fantastic with no weak links throughout.  The story for this one is pretty much straight forward and falls into a wave of nature based animal/bug mutation films that would spawn throughout the 90s with Ticks and 1994's Mosquito being the more popular films.  We follow a group displaced in the woods when nature is mutated and attacks.  It's a formula that had been done before and would be used again and again after.  However, the effects and characters makes this one a lot of fun.  While it may be unoriginal, the characters and effects carry it on it's back.  Finally, this film is a bloody and gooey mess.  We have some seriously underrated practical and make-up effects.  I fucking loved the look of the ticks and the transformation scene is nothing shy of brilliant.  The effects alone in this one is worth your time.  Overall, Ticks is one of the most underrated horror titles to come out of the 90s.  It never received the appreciation that it truly deserved until Vin Syn got their hands on it.  The UHD is a must own for horror fans.  Do yourself a favor and pick it up.  

Super Mario Bros.

Director(s) - Annabel Jankel (The Max Headroom Show, Max Headroom) and Rocky Morton (D.O.A., The M Word)

Starring - Bob Hoskins (Tales from the Crypt, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), John Leguizamo (Spawn, Die Hard 2), and Dennis Hopper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Mad Dog Morgan)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Comedy/Adventure/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "This ain't no game"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I lived in the video store when I was growing up.  For a short time we had Bucky's Video which was set up in a single wide trailer but my small town's staple video store was Dewey's Video.  I rented so many movies from Dewey's during my youth.  Years before I found horror I was often renting shit like Air Bud, Space Jam, and other assortments of new releases.  I remember one time when I was staying with my cousin, coincidentally nick named Bucky, he told me had rented a couple Sega Genesis games along with a couple movies for us to watch.  One of those tapes was for Super Mario Bros.  I had never seen this one prior to him renting it but I fell in love with it.  It seems like after that weekend I found it playing several times a day on HBO and Cinemax.  I was watching it so much I found myself quoting it all the time.  As I grew older I discovered that a lot of movie fans like myself hated the film.  I can see why some would dislike it but I see more value in it than I do things I dislike.  A few weeks ago my friends at Umbrella Entertainment announced that they would be releasing the film on blu.  I reached out to them to use this release as an excuse to revisit it.  They were kind enough to send over a copy and I couldn't wait to work it into my schedule.  

     New York plumbers Mario (Hoskins) and Luigi (Leguizamo) who meets an aspiring young archeologist that Luigi takes notice of.  Daisy (Samantha Mathis) is working for a university where dinosaur bones have been uncovered at a construction site.  Several women have gone missing around the city and Daisy soon finds herself being tailed by two strange men. The men work for King Koopa (Hopper) and he needs to find a young woman, Daisy, who has a stone that he needs to merge his world with our world.  The worlds were separated millions of years ago when a meteor crashed separating this world, where monkeys evolved into humans, and the other world where dinosaurs evolved into people.  

     Die hard fans of Mario and Nintendo hate this film because it doesn't follow the source material at all.  Aside from the names, the film has little resemblance to the game series.  However, I find it a seriously fun film that if was titled anything other than Super Mario Bros. it would have a huge cult following.  If movies like Cloak and Danger and Wizard can have the cult following they do then this film deserves so much more than the hate it gets.  It's campy and cheesy fun.  The acting in this one is extremely fun.  The cast is not trying to win any awards.  Instead, they are bringing fun and unforgettable characters to life which I believe they all do a fantastic job.  Hopper, Hoskins, Leguizamo, and Mathis are all enjoyable and the characters the bring us are all fun.  As I said, no one is attempting to deliver a heartwarming performance.  They bring a lot of fun and humor to the film.  The story for this one has nothing to do with the game series aside from the namesakes.  With that being said, it's painfully early 90s sci-fi inspired. I love the idea of two different world coexisting simultaneously with one another and how drastically different they are.  I like the subtle tie ins to the games yet the story has nothing to do with them. We have some funny moments with goombas, the bom-omb later on in the film, and even a little dinosaur pet named Yoshi.  A few other instances I left out aside, that's the only real connections to the game series aside from character names.  I did like having the people on one side evolve out of dinosaurs was really cool and it the film was titled something else movie goers would have ate it up.  The little romantic angle between Daisy and Luigi feels forced at times but aside from that I find the film to be very charming and funny.  Finally, it's not going to be a bloody film but fans of practical and make-up effects will enjoy it.  I loved the look of the other world.  The wardrobe, sets, vehicles, and look of the creatures and goombas was a lot of fun.  Sure, it doesn't look like anything in the game but it's still a visually impressive film.  Overall, Super Mario Bros. is an extremely fun and entertaining film that catches unnecessary hate.  I know it doesn't fit in with the games that inspires it but if you just ignore the Mario part of the movie you will truly find something extremely cheesy and unadulterated fun.  I highly recommend snagging this blu from Umbrella Entertainment especially if you have never seen the film before.  Personally, I love if and if you are open to it I'm sure you will as well.  

Midnight 2: Sex, Death, and Videotape

Director - John A. Russo (My Uncle John is a Zombie!, Midnight)

Starring - Matthew Jason Walsh (Zombie cop, Stage Fright), Jo Norcia (Chickboxer, Kingdom of the Vampire), and Chuck Pierce Jr. (The Legend of Boggy Creek, The Winds of Autumn)

Release Date -1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Abraham's back... and he's making America's grisliest home videos..."

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I was attending Cinema Wasteland, like I do twice a year, when I discovered that the event this go around was a Night of the Living Dead reunion.  I was beside myself with the convention this time.  I attend the event twice a year when it's held but I rarely look at the guests before hand but when I saw that it was NotLD I was so fucking excited.  I met several members of the cast and crew including John A. Russo who not only appeared in the film but also pinned the story for it.  I'm a huge fan of Russo's and his contributions to the genre so when I heard that SRS Cinema was releasing Russo's sequel to his iconic Midnight I was all about it.  I quickly reached out to MVD, who was handling the DVD release as part of SRS Cinema's Retro Horror line, to request a review copy.  I waited on reviewing Severin's blu release of the first Midnight release so I could watch both films together.  Once again I want to thank MVD and SRS for sending this sequel my way.  

     The film picks up 11 years after the events of the first film with Abraham (Walsh) surviving the attack from Nancy's step-dad.  He's the only one alive from the Barns family and has moved on.  Now, he uses a camcorder to recorder women in the park with.  Using his camcorder as a way to speak with women, he lures them back to his place where he tortures and kills them.  That is until he tortures the wrong woman.  Her friend reports her missing and recalls to the detective about the man at the park with the camera the day she went missing.  The detective said he will look into it but she takes matters into her own hands.  She visits the park to lure Abraham out with the detective monitoring her but Abraham is not as stupid as they think.

     I was pretty excited to spin Midnight 2 especially after watching the first film along with learning that it was produced by Tempe Video.  Sadly, the "movie" was a huge disappointment.  It followed in the footsteps of other horror sequels that were rushed through production or cancelled where it has some new footage, around thirty minutes or so, and then the rest of the run time is made up of archival footage from the original film.  The most notable film to do this is Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor.  Honestly, I wouldn't call this a new movie.  The acting in this one is not bad but not as near as good as the original film.  The cast is given flat characters with no real personalities to portray and they do the best they can with it.  The cast is regular's of Tempe and have been in several of their releases but here their performances are just as one dimensional as the characters they are portraying.  The story for this one is a huge disappointment.  We follow Abraham, a camcorder, and some young girls he picks up to torture and kill.  When he's not doing that he's sitting in front of his camera reminiscing about the events in the first film.  It's a cheap ploy to pull in fans of the first expecting a sequel only to be given 30 minutes of new footage.  The new footage could have been a fun direction but the film never fully explores it.  Finally, the film has some blood but don't expect memorable deaths.  The deaths are cheap and not as fun as the first film.  Overall, Midnight 2 is not worth your time.  I respect the hell out of everyone involved in this from Russo, to SRS Cinema, and Tempe but the film is a huge disappointment. Skip it.  

Dark Universe

Director - Steve Latshaw (Jack-O, Biohazard 2: The Alien Force)

Starring - Joe Estevez (Soultaker, The Roller Blade Seven), Blake Pickett (The Exotic House of Wax, The Bite), and Laurie Sherman (Mind Twister, Guns and Lipstick)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Sci-Fi/Horror

Tagline - "One lean, mean, slime machine"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     With the year going the way it is I'm grateful for any new releases that come my way so when Retromedia Entertainment and Makeflix announced another new release I had to jump on it.  I was a little bummed that this release, Jack-O and Friends, was a DVD only release but I was excited to check out the other two films in the set.  After watching Biohazard 2: The Alien Force I decided to keep it going with the 1993 sci-fi horror straight to video flick Dark Universe starring Joe Estevez.  

     The film follows millionaire Rod Kendrick (Estevez) who had decided outdo NASA and sent a space craft into space.  However, the capsule becomes infected with some sort of spore that overtakes the pilot before crashing back to Earth.  A rescue team heads out in search for the craft and the pilot and finds themselves face to face with a monster not of this world.

     Dark Universe really peaked my interest especially when I saw the artwork for it which resembled an iconic scene from Alien.  Sadly, the film just wasn't as fun and the predictability and lack of enthusiasm with the cast made the film very lackluster.  I wanted to love it but I couldn't.  The acting is very lazy at times and unenthused at others.  If you had seen any softcore porn from the mid-90s then you know exactly what I'm talking about.  This is not a softcore flick but if it were we would have seen some life in the cast during the sex scene.  The characters are painfully generic and the cast doesn't attempt to do anything to make them stand out.  The story for this one is not the Alien rip off I was expecting but it does make it easier to compare to other films like The Blob and anything else that involved a manmade craft crashing back to Earth with something out of this world hitching a ride back.  It's not original and extremely dull.  The few random nude scenes was the only highlight of this one but they don't fit the story what so ever.  Finally, the film has some blood but don't expect to find a gory mess of a film that most of you horror fans are looking for.  The make-up effects is fun and we get a few fun props but that's the extent of the it.  Overall, Dark Universe was not as fun as I was hoping for and I can't find anything really redeeming about it aside from the nudity.  I know that's an asshole thing to say but that's the truth.  This is one I can't recommend.  

Champagne and Bullets

Director(s) - John De Hart and James Paradise 

Starring - John De Hart (The Champagne Gang), Wings Hauser (The Carpenter, Airwolf), and William Smith (Red Dawn, Zombiegeddon)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Action

Tagline - "Will justice win out over evil"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Vinegar Syndrome has created quite the name for themselves with their gorgeous exploitation releases.  In the last few years they released a new line of films for movie collectors that grew up during the video store era.  These releases, under their VSA label, come in hardcover sleeves reminiscent of the big box VHS releases.  Most of these films have been action flicks which is something I fucking love.  I started writing reviews sometime ago with the intention of focusing on forgotten action and exploitation flicks.  However, my love for horror quickly took over.  When Vin Syn announced the release of the 1993 action flick Champagne and Bullets, aka Get Even and Road to Revenge, as part of their VSA line I new I had to see it.  As soon as I worked through the Cardona Collection it was time to check it out.

     The film follows a recently unemployed cop who loses his job when his superior, who is moonlighting as a drug dealing Satanist, sets him up.  Things don't look too bad for him when he soon finds love in a gorgeous blonde.  However, she is a former member of the Satanic cult and when word gets out that she is no longer a member she has a hit put on her head.  Thinking his new lover is dead, he goes on a killing spree to get revenge against his former boss and cult leader responsible for her death...but she's not dead.

     I've seen a lot of bad movies in my life but this had to be the most fun I've ever had with a bad movie in sometime.  It was bad in so many ways but I couldn't look away. Hell, this was the funniest movie I had seen in sometime and I can't say that about a lot of action films.  Vin Syn really did the lord's work with this one.  The acting in this one is fucking hysterical.  Star John De Hart is the most stone faced actor I had ever seen and his unenthused performance makes the film so fucking funny.  That is followed up with the late William Smith trying his damndest to deliver a serious performance but every scene he is out-staged by De Hart's lack of acting and Wings Hauser's coked out performance.  Hauser's performance is off the fucking rails and absolutely insane.  I would suggest watching the movie just to watch him trip balls.  The story for this one is a generic but it's got some crazy elements tossed in just to amp up the what the fuck factor.  There is nothing new about an action flick with a corrupt cop that peddles drugs on the side. However, if you completely ignore the judicial system and give that cop a job as a judge and make him the lead of a Satanic cult then you are cooking.  This is one of the wildest stories I had seen in awhile and it's absolutely insane.  My little blurb about the story doesn't do this crazy ass film justice.  Trust me.  Finally, the film isn't a bloody one.  Hell, it doesn't even have explosions.  What makes this one so much fun is how bad and awkward it is to watch.  Overall, Champagne and Bullets is The Room of direct to video action flicks.  It's one of the strangest yet wildest movies I had ever seen yet I couldn't stop watching.  Do yourself a favor and snag this one from Vin Syn before it's gone.  You won't regret it!

Bad Boy Bubby

Director - Rolf de Heer (Alien Visitor, Charlie's Country)

Starring - Nicholas Hope (Scooby-Doo, The Invisible Man), Claire Benito (Ultraman: Towards the Future, Struck by Lightning), and Ralph Cotterill (Howling III, Ultraman G)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Comedy/Drama

Tagline - "He's been in his room for 35 years... it's time to let him out!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     As a collector I find myself pulled to certain genres.  I love horror, which is a give in, but I enjoy exploitation more than I do horror.  I absolutely adore finding exploitation and the various sub-genres to add to my collection.  However, I occasionally get a movie that defies labelling.  A month or so ago Umbrella Entertainment announced the blu release of the 1993 film Bad Boy Bubby.  I had heard of this one before when it received a DVD release here in the U.S. but I never had a chance to check it out.  This is a film that supposedly defied labelling which really peaked my curiosity.  I reached out to Umbrella and they were kind enough to send a blu my way for review.  

     The film follows Bubby (Hope) who is a prisoner in his home.  Bubby is 35 and his mother has him convinced that the outside world lacks air.  However, after a stray cat wonders in and his father, who has been absent since birth, finally appears proving that air is outside.  He accidentally kills both his parents and is free from his claustrophobic prison.  Now, in the real world he finds himself exploring his sexuality and how the real world operates.

     Trying to classify Bad Boy Bubby is damn near impossible.  The film is bleak yet funny.  It's depressing yet inspiring.  It's scary yet comforting.  The movie is unlike anything I had seen before and I don't think I will see anything like it for the remainder of my life.  This movie is a must see for any cult movie fans.  The acting in this one is very one sided but it's absolutely insane.  The supporting cast is solid but the characters are not as entertaining as Bubby.  Nicholas Hope does one hell of a job as Bubby.  His performance is funny and heartbreaking at the same time.  He has appeared in so many different films since this one but this is, by far, his most memorable performance in my opinion.  He makes this film what it is.  The story for this one is a bit different than most of your other films.  The movie takes an unconventional approach to story telling but it works.  Following the mentally stunted Bubby as he explores a modern day (early 90s) world makes for a weird and depressing discoveries.  With that being said, the movie was almost 2 hours long.  Several of the scenes could be trimmed down to make the movie flow a lot better but the film is still a must see the way it is.  Finally, the film is not a bloody flick.  We do have some deaths at the beginning of the film but they did not showcase any blood or gore.  The movie is very much focused on character interactions over practical effects.  Overall, Bad Boy Bubby is one of the strangest yet entertaining films I've seen in a long ass time.  This release from Umbrella is a must own.  Snag it when you can because you will not be disappointed.  

City of the Vampires

Director - Ron Bonk (House Shark, She Kills)

Starring - Matthew Jason Walsh (Zombie Cop, Curse of the Puppet Master), Anne-Marie O'Keefe, Noel Bonk

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "As Sam Helling walks through the city of death.  He shall fear no evil"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've slowly been playing catch up since a lot of companies are not releasing that many genre specific films due to the pandemic.  The last few days I've set my sights on SRS Cinema.  I had took advantage of their pandemic sale on several occasions which resulted in several blus I had never seen.  On top of that I received a sizable haul from MVD to review which featured several of SRS Cinema's retro line on DVD.  After checking out the blus I decided to take a dive into the DVDs and starting with SRS founder Ron Bonk's early S.O.V. vampire flick City of the Vampires.  

     The film follows Sam Helling (Walsh) who lost his girlfriend sometime ago during an accident.  His city is declining as people go missing or found dead.  He suspects something else is going on and one night he is drawn out into the heart of the city where he discovers that vampires are taking over and his girlfriend, who he thought was dead, is now one of the living dead.  

      I've seen and reviewed several of Bonk's newer horror flicks like She Kills and House Shark.  He is definitely a filmmaker that makes the kind of flicks that I'm always on the hunt for.  However, I had never seen his earlier films until I received these DVD releases.  It's crazy to see how much he has grown as a filmmaker.  City of the Vampires is a messy no-budget flick but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is surprisingly solid.  The cast does have a few awkward moments and their mannerisms are a little over-dramatic at times but they do a solid job for the most part.  The characters are very cheesy and over the top but I enjoyed them in this setting.  The story for this one is listed on imdb as a vampire spin on Night of the Living Dead.  Honestly, I don't see that but it did remind me a lot of a no-budget spin on Children of the Night from 1991.  It follows a town overrun by vampires while people try to survive.  Similar stories and I enjoy them both the same.  It does drag on a bit as the film was coming to an end as if they didn't know when to exactly call it quits but aside from that it was pretty solid.  Finally, the film has some blood and a few gun wounds with one in particular that stands out especially when you consider the experience and skill the crew had at this time.  They are not that memorable but the one kill in particular is very impressive.  Overall, City of the Vampires is a rough around the edges S.O.V. horror flick that is fun and entertaining.  It may not be the most original or best acted horror flick I've seen today but it was worth my time.  Check it out.  

Beach Babes from Beyond

Director - David DeCoteau (Nightmare Sisters, Dr. Alien)

Starring - Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons), Tamara Landry (Renegade, The Pleasure Zone), and Nicole Posey (Femaliens: Seduction of the Species)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy

Tagline - "Hot. Tan. Alien"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was born in the mid-80s but I lived through the 90s.  I was a product of my time and spent a good portion of my childhood glued to the television screen.  During the day I was watching shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps, Eerie Indiana, Creepy Crawlers, and Beetleborgs.  However, at night I was all about shows like MonsterVision, USA Up All Night, when my dad went to bed I would watch Taxicab Confessions.  I got to see a lot of cult horror and sexploitation flicks because of MonsterVision and USA Up All Night.  Thought it was cut for cable, I watched the 1993 sleazy sci-fi comedy Beach Babes from Beyond when I was a youngster on USA Up All Night.  When Full Moon sent me over Orgy of the Living Dead and The Hand That Feeds the Dead on blu for review they included the new release of Beach Babes from Beyond.  A pleasant surprise that I couldn't wait to revisit.  

     The film follows three beautiful aliens who decide to borrow their father's classic space ship and take it for a spin. However, they didn't check the fuel before their trip and are forced to crash land on Earth.  They land on the beach and meet up with three beach bums where they soon fall in love.  However, they are soon forced with the risk of losing their home so they all team up together to win a contest where the proceeds can be used to paying rent to keep their uncle's home.

      Even though I had seen Beach Babes all those years ago it had been so long that it was like watching the movie for the first.  When you add in the scenes that was cut for cable it was pretty much a completely different film.  I enjoyed it but it's far from perfect.  The acting in this one is pretty rough.  The cast starts out delivering the typical cheesy performances that many of us come to expect from early 90s Full Moon, Moon Beam, and Torchlight.  The emotional range is pretty flat and several of the scenes the female leads are saying their dialogue with a confused look on their face.  Linnea Quigley and Joe Estevez does alright but they are not a major focus of the film which is a bit of a bummer.  The story for this one is exactly what you would expect from a beach movie of the early 90s.  We get a fun and cheap sci-fi set up with three beautiful aliens crash landing at the beach and then a fun yet cliched story of the direct to video age where the protagonists have to win a contest to save their home.  So many stories from this era in film history used a story like this but I can't complain because I enjoy it.  The added softcore sex scenes really didn't do anything for me which makes me want to revisit the original Up All Night cut of the film.  Finally, if you are looking for blood you will be very disappointed.  We have some spacecraft sets, plenty of nudity, and some cheap visuals but nothing for the horror hounds out there.  Overall, Beach Babes from Beyond is a sleazy and cheap sci-fi comedy that might not be for all the fans of Full Moon but fans of sexploitation and cheesy straight to video titles will really enjoy this one.  The video looks great especially when compared to previous releases.  Collectors will want to snag this one.  

Scary Tales

Director(s) - Doug Ulrich (7 Sins of the Vampire, Screen Kill) and Al Darago (Darkest Soul, Screen Kill)

Starring - Al Darago, Brad Storck, and Ilene Zelechowski 

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror/Comedy/Fantasy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago I was preparing for my October horror binge.  I wanted to watch as many horror in October as I could focusing on movies I had never seen before.  While I was rounding up movies for my month long binge I saw that AGFA and Bleeding Skull was releasing a shot on video horror anthology from 1993 called Scary Tales.  The original release date was the tail end of October so I knew it would be cutting it close if I got it in time to review for Halloween.  Sadly, the releases for October were delayed and it would not arrive until the middle of November.  I wanted to watch it sooner but decided to save it to watch later after I binged Game of Thrones.  After power housing through five seasons I decided to split the other seasons up and watch a few horror releases.  Scary Tales was the first.

     The film follows the storyteller as he spins three tales for a group of unsuspecting children.  The first story follows a man who finds Satan's necklace that possesses him and forces him to do evil deeds.  The second story follows a loving husband who uncovers that his wife is cheating which sends him over the edge.  The third and final tale follows an avid gamer who finds himself sucked into the world of the game and forced to fight for his life.  

     Shot on video horror is not for everyone.  I love the cheap side of horror so I often find no budget shot on video horror to be entertaining but they are very far from perfect.  I love discovering a new sov horror flick I've never seen before and the second I saw Vinegar Syndrome post Scary Tales for AGFA and Bleeding Skull I knew I had to see it.  The movie is very crude and amateur but, god damn, did I enjoy it.  The acting in this one is rough.  I don't want to call it bad but I would call in inexperienced.  The cast really tries to get into character but their lack of experience does create a few unintentional laughs. Regardless, I had fun with the characters.  The stories in this one are nothing we haven't seen before even in the early 90s.  So many horror films, as well as, erotic thrillers followed a jealous husband murdering his adulterous wife.  The same can be said about possession stories.  However, we didn't have a lot of horror tales where someone is pulled into a video game.  With that being said, we have seen similiar stories with people getting pulled into movies, television shows, comics, books, and so on before this.  Still, it's cool seeing video games incorporated into a horror tale.  Finally, the film has some blood and cheap practical effects but I enjoyed them.  Sure, the kills we get are nothing memorable but they really fit the film.  Some were unintentionally funny while others were a little more serious but I liked them.  Overall, Scary Tales will not be for everyone.  In fact, it's not going to be for a lot of people.  However, if you are one of the few members of the horror community that doesn't get off on your own farts then you may enjoy this cheap anthology.  I like what they were going for and, if you ask me, they deliver a very fun and entertaining horror anthology.  Sure, there is a few occasions where you will laugh at the acting but the fact they got off their ass and did something speaks louder than us laughing.  I highly recommend checking this one out on blu now from AGFA and Bleeding Skull.  

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday

Director - Adam Marcus (Let It Snow, Secret Santa)

Starring - John D. LeMay (The New Kid, The Twilight Zone), Kari Keegan (The Prince of Pennsylvania, Mind Games), and Steven Williams (The X-Files, Supernatural)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Evil has finally found a home"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in elementary school my uncle randomly appeared.  My family was not that close and this was one of the first times that I remember meeting him.  The only reason this meeting stood out with me was because he gave me Conan the Destroyer, Jason Goes to Hell, and Die Hard on VHS.  All were in those clear clamshell cases that most video stores used so I assumed it was stolen from a video store where ever it was he lived.  I watched these movies a lot growing up but Conan would be my go to but I still enjoyed the others for the most part.  Jason Goes to Hell will always be the first movie I saw in the Friday the 13th franchise which will be a lasting experience but when you watch it back to back with the previous films you can't help but laugh at how ridiculous it is.  

     Jason is baited back to Crystal Lake where a military outfit blows him up.  His body is taken to study but the heart is not dead.  It forces one of the doctors to eat it and once inside possesses the host sending him on another bloody rampage jumping from body to body until it reaches Crystal Lake.  A bounty hunter claims to know how to stop Jason for good and needs a relative of Jason to put a stop to him before more bodies pile up.  

     Jason Goes to Hell follows in the outlandish exploits of Jason that started to pick up from part VII until now.  Though it is crazier than a telekinetic camper and Jason in New York it still pulls the viewer in with the crazy practical effects and gruesome scenes.  The movie tries to add some depth to the Jason character by giving Jason a supernatural history and a much broader story than the original films did.  However, it fails to really gain any traction.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  Some of the characters are comic reliefs while others are a little too serious for their own good.  We have Leslie Jordan and Rusty Schwimmer delivering some funny performances as the off beat couple that are polar opposites of each other while Steven Williams is just a little too serious.  In fact, some of the scenes comes off as comical because he is just too into it.  Aside from these three, I found the movie to be pretty well grounded and the cast does a pretty great job in the roles.  The characters are standard cliched horror characters but the cast does a solid job with it.  The story for this one blends the already established Jason mythos with a newer one that paints him more than just an undead slasher.  The film gives him a reason to kill aside from revenge with a much bigger family origin story.  It would have worked if it was something established 9 films previously but randomly inserting it into the 9th film in the series makes it feel rushed and doesn't have the impact that it would have had if it was introduced earlier in the franchise.  With that being said, it is an interesting concept that brought about a much bigger scope than just a masked man killing campers.  Finally, this one has some of the most impressive practical effects and kills out of the entire series.  KNB Effects was in charge of this and it's one of the most memorable kills and unforgettable effects.  With that being said, I don't care for the look of Jason in this one but he's only in the film for a short time.  Overall, Jason Goes to Hell will always hold a special place in my heart as the first Jason film I had seen but I know it's a mess of a film.  The kills are fun and the story starts something than is never fully explored but stands without saying.  It's watchable but sinks to the bottom of the pile.  

The Untold Story - Revisited

Director(s) - Danny Lee (Legend of the Dragon, Dr. Lamb) and Herman Yau (Kung Fu Angels, Voodoo)

Starring - Anthony Chau-Sang Wong (Ebola Syndrome, Beast Cops), Danny Lee, and Emily Kwan (Golden Brother, Horror Trip)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Based, unfortunately, on real events..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Five years ago I was gifted a copy of the 1993 Chinese horror film The Untold Story, aka The Eight Immortals Restaurant.    I fucking loved the movie but I never had the time to revisit it.  Sometime back Unearthed Films announced that they would be releasing the film on blu.  My DVD was an awesome release but I'm not above upgrading films that I really enjoy.  I reached out to MVD and they were more than happy enough to send a review copy my way.  I want to thank MVD and Unearthed for sending this gorgeous release over.  I'm beyond happy that I was able to revisit this bloody masterpiece.

     The film begins with two men fighting over mahjong and one of the men dies at the hands of the other. We then jump forward and that same man is now running a very popular restaurant. The police have been getting letters from a man in Hong Kong asking them to find his brother who went missing some time ago. That man was once the owner of The Eight Immortals Restaurant but is now missing. The police start doing some investigating and learn that the place was never sold and that the missing man still owns it. They question the owner and he claims it was purchased legally. When the police leave he tries to skip town but they catch him and arrest him. They beat the shit out of him trying to get the answers they want to hear but the man is one tough cookie. He does not break so they toss him in prison with the real owner's other brother. They beat the shit out of him some more and slowly wear him down until he finally confesses to murdering him and his entire family including 4 children and feeding all his victims to his customers. The police think they have him but before they can convict him he kills himself in his cell. 

     A lot of the extreme horror fans praise this film which is a bit confusing to me.  Most of these fans drool over movies like A Serbian Film, Vomit Gore, and other weird arthouse flicks that border the line between creativity and fetishism.  However, The Untold story is a bit bloody but it's nowhere near as extreme as most of the movies these fans clammer over.  Regardless, I'm glad they enjoy this one as much as they do because Unearthed would have never released this one if they didn't.  The acting in this one is so good but a little uneven.  I love the cast and the wide array of characters.  Most of the characters are serious in tone but fit the film.  However, there is a few characters that offer up some comedic performances.  I never noticed this the first viewing of the film but I really like the contrast between these characters and the others.  It doesn't drag the film now as much as you would think because these characters do turn serious when the film calls for it.  The story for this one is a dark drama with some horror elements scattered throughout.  If you are looking for a traditional horror film you will be a little disappointed.  However, fans of films that flows like true crime bio-drama will really enjoy this with the horror and blood as an added bonus.  I love the simple story and how it unfolds.  It doesn't waste the viewer's time and works very well.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood and a bunch of practical effects.  The kills are nothing we haven't seen before but some of the victims makes the kills hit harder.  Especially if you are a parent.  Overall, The Untold Story is a must for horror fans.  The cast and the story is amazing and this release from Unearthed is absolutely fantastic.  I highly recommend adding this one to you collection.  It's a must have.