INTRUDER (Blu-ray & DVD)

As a teenager, director Scott Spiegel made Super-8 home movies with his pals Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. And, like his talented friends, he went on to make films professionally, mostly for the direct-to video market. His first full-length feature was the supermarket-set stalk and slay thriller, INTRUDER (a/k/a THE NIGHT CREW, 1989), making its uncut home video debut on Blu-ray & DVD this week, courtesy of Synapse Films.

The evening shift employees at a small Michigan supermarket, have closed and locked the doors, and have been ordered by their bosses to conduct an all-night inventory in preparation for the store's imminent closing and sale. As the night crew set about their work, a shadowy intruder moves silently among them, and before long, the young staff finds themselves being brutally murdered, one by one.

Spiegel's film came out near the end of the 80s slasher cycle, and while there's really not anything particularly original about the story, it does have an engaging sense of dark humor, and a lively visual style, both of which were also evident in the director's later films, like FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 2 and HOSTEL PART 3. Produced and co-written by Lawrence Bender (PULP FICTION), the witty and suspenseful low-budget film also benefits from an interesting cast comprised of up and coming young actors including Renée Estevez (SLEEPAWAY CAMP), Elizabeth Cox (NIGHT OF THE CREEPS), and Ted Raimi (THE GRUDGE), director/buddySam Raimi (THE EVIL DEAD, SPIDER-MAN) and a last-reel cameo by Bruce Campbell (TERMINAL INVASION, BURN NOTICE).

Before its original release, the movie earned a bit of notoriety from a Fangoria magazine photo spread that showcased its graphic gore effects, executed by then-newcomers Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger (soon to be known as KNB and renowned for their effects make-up in films like FROM DUSK 'TIL DAWN, HOSTEL and TV's THE WALKING DEAD). Unfortunately, when it was released on VHS by Paramount, virtually all of that material was excised, severely undercutting the film's effectiveness, and leaving its intended audience disappointed and dissatisfied.

This new Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Synapse finally brings INTRUDER to home video as it was intended to be seen, with every blood-soaked kill and gory thrill intact.

The Blu-ray disc sports a very solid, 1.78.1 widescreen, 1080p HD transfer that looks pretty good for a 20+ year-old, $130,000 indie horror film. Audio is a perfectly satisfactory, DTS-HD MA Mono. (The enclosed DVD is in Standard def, 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 2.0 Mono audio.) Bonus features include an energetic and entertaining audio commentary by Spiegel and Bender; SLASHED PRICES, a terrific retrospective documentary featuring most of the cast and key crew members; extended effects footage from the original workprint; outtakes from Spiegel's 8mm version of the story, NIGHT CREW; original casting tapes; theatrical and VHS trailers, a still gallery, and a video interview with INTRUDER fan and filmmaker, Vincent Periera.

As I mentioned above, the story's not particularly fresh, and the actual filmmaking is a little crude, with the low-budget and general inexperience of the director evident in the final product. But it's fast-paced and suspenseful, several of the "kills" are real show-stoppers, and it's honestly entertaining in a way that a lot of slicker, more-polished fright flicks aren't. Synapse's new edition is terrific, and highly recommended to 80s horror fans.

BUY:  Intruder (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

BEHIND THE MASK

Created in 1930, the mysterious crimefighter known as The Shadow had a long, successful career on radio, in pulp magazines & comic books... and a somewhat spottier career in the cinema. On radio, he was Lamont Cranston, a millionaire playboy and amateur criminologist with the hypnotic ability to "cloud men's minds," becoming effectively invisible. He was aided in his exploits by debutante Margo Lane and his chauffeur/valet, Shrevvy. In the pulps & comics, The Shadow was a cloaked mystery man with a pair of blazing automatic pistols. "Lamont Cranston" was simply one of the vigilante's many aliases, and Margo & Shrevvy were but two of an entire network of agents in his service.

The character first appeared on film in 1937, and headlined a cliffhanger serial in 1940. Six years later, Poverty Row movie studio Monogram acquired the film rights to the character, and released three, low-budget Shadow programmers starring handsome serial star Kane Richmond (SPY SMASHER, THE LOST CITY) in the lead. The second of these B-mysteries, BEHIND THE MASK (1946), has just been released on manufacture-on-demand DVD by the MGM Limited Edition Collection.

When an unlikable newspaper columnist with a sideline in blackmail, Jeff Mann (James Cardwell), is murdered in his own office, and multiple witnesses identify The Shadow as the killer, Lamont Cranston (Richmond) knows he has to find the real murderer and clear his masked alter ego's reputation. As he works his way through Mann's blackmail victims, his investigation is hampered by the "assistance" of his hapless manservant, Shrevvy (George Chandler) and ludicrously jealous fiancée, Margo Lane (Barbara Reed). 

Directed by Phil Karlson (KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL) from a script by George Callahan (a veteran of dozens of B-movies, including several of Monogram's Charlie Chan films), BEHIND THE MASK is unlikely to please contemporary fans of the popular pulp character. As portrayed by the devil-may-care Richmond, The Shadow is neither as grim and dangerous as the magazine version, nor as sinisterly mysterious as the radio incarnation. In fact, the character rarely even wears his trademark black outfit on-screen. The overall tone of the film is comedic, with very little action, and the mystery takes a definite back seat to the screwball antics of Margo and bumbling sidekick Shrevvy.

Production values are on a par with other Monogram product of the time, with sparsely-decorated sets and thrift shop costuming. Karlson does manage a couple of visually effective sequences, however - specifically a nicely noir-ish, rainy opening and an entertainingly athletic third act fight scene - and at 67 minutes, the pace never really has a chance to lag.

The MGM Limited Edition Collection disc features a fairly worn-looking 1.33:1 "full frame" transfer (the correct aspect ratio). The image is somewhat soft, and there are specks and dirt evident throughout, but rarely to a distracting degree. Audio is a slightly muffled but adequate Dolby 2.0 Mono. There are no extras included.

Shadow completists and collectors may be interested in picking up BEHIND THE MASK, and the title should appeal to fans and collectors of 40s mystery series and Poverty Row thrillers as well. I wish that MGM had chosen to release all three Monogram Shadow films together as a two-disc set, but maybe if this one sells well, they'll offer THE SHADOW RETURNS and THE MISSING LADY at some later date.

BUY:  Behind The Mask (1946)

DRAGON CRUSADERS

The latest fantasy epic from micro-budget studio The Asylum and director Mark Atkins (PRINCESS OF MARS, DRAGONQUEST) is probably their best genre effort yet. DRAGON CRUSADERS (2011) is a lively and exciting mini-epic that benefits from a reasonably original story, a good cast, and gorgeous Welsh location work.

A small band of outlaw Knights Templar are accidentally cursed with a magic spell that will turn them - one at a time - into vicious, bat-winged gargoyles. The only hope of breaking the curse is to journey to the mountain stronghold of an evil wizard who not only controls a flock of fire-breathing dragons, but has the ability to become one himself.

With DRAGON CRUSADERS, Atkins fulfills the promise I perceived in his earlier fantasy epic, MERLIN & THE WAR OF THE DRAGONS, with a beautifully shot, well-paced, sword & sorcery adventure. Returning to many of the same picturesque and appropriately Medieval locations seen in MERLIN, and once again employing some very talented Welsh actors, CRUSADERS - shot in 14 days on a shoestring budget - plays and looks far more expensive than it is. Atkins' cinematography and editing are both very slick, and his screenplay is perfectly tailored to make the most of his limited resources.

The cast is uniformly solid. Dylan Jones (who previously appeared in various supporting roles in other Asylum productions, including MERLIN) is appropriately stoic and heroic as the leader of the knights, and handles the swordplay and riding with aplomb (the multi-talented Jones was also the horse master for the film). Sexy stuntwoman Cecily Fay makes a convincing (if tiny!) warrior woman, and Merlin himself, Simon Lloyd-Roberts, is memorable as the youngest of the cursed knights. Really, though, everyone in the cast is surprisingly good.

Production-wise, the costumes and props look fine, the digital creature effects appear to be somewhat more polished than usual, and Atkins makes terrific use of some truly impressive - and authentic-looking - locations. Composer Chris Ridenhour once again rises to the occasion, with another sweeping, epic musical score.

The Asylum DVD presents DRAGON CRUSADERS with a crystal-clear, rock-solid 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The viewer's audio options are 5.1 Surround or 2.0 stereo. Supplemental material consists of a "Making Of" featurette, a gag reel, and an assortment of trailers for other Asylum titles.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with DRAGON CRUSADERS. We all know that I'm a pushover for fantasy material, but my expectations were far exceeded by Atkins' accomplished film. If you're an aficionado of dungeons and dragons and mystical tales of heroic deering-do, I suggest at least giving this one a rental - or checking it out when it makes its inevitable SyFy Channel showings. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and you may, too.

BUY: Dragon Crusaders

THE SNOW DEVILS

The fourth and final installment of Antonio Margheriti's mid-60s "Gamma 1" sci-fi quadrilogy, THE SNOW DEVILS (1966), was recently released as a manufactured-on-demand title from Warner Archives, and while it's far from the best in that insane Italian space opera series, it contains enough quirky, comic strip charm to make it worth seeing.

As our story opens, the Earth is experiencing unnatural global warming, causing the ice caps to melt and ocean levels to rise, threatening coastal cities with submersion. At the same time, a United Democracies Space Command (UDSC) scientific station in the Himalayas is attacked and destroyed by forces unknown - forces that leave inhumanly large, bare footprints in the snow. Commander Rod Jackson (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, billed as "Jack Stuart") of space station Gamma 1, is assigned to investigate. With his first officer, Lt. Harris (Renato Baldini), he arrives in Nepal and sets out on foot with a group of (terribly stereotyped) native guides & porters to look for a missing UDSC officer and the source of the energy beams that are causing the planetary heatwave. What they discover is a cave full of futuristic weather-changing equipment controlled by an alien race of seven-foot tall, blue-skinned, hairy giants with a plan to reshape Earth into a new home for their people. Can Commander Jackson and his crew foil this invasion of sinister space yeti?

Filmed back-to-back with the other three films in the cycle (WILD WILD PLANET, WAR BETWEEN THE PLANETS, and WAR OF THE PLANETS) in Rome for American producers Walter Manley and Ivan Reiner, and released in the US by MGM, this final "Gamma 1" adventure has some amusingly bonkers ideas, but is otherwise running on fumes. It's slower-paced and more talky than previous entries, padded out with stock footage, and far too Earth-bound. That said, the extraterrestrial abominable snowmen are a real hoot, and the movie does have a terrifically entertaining last reel space battle brimming with silver spaceships, swooping asteroids, and fiery miniature explosions.

The Warner Archive disc is on a par with the other "Gamma 1" titles, with a solid, if slightly worn and speckled, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and perfectly adequate 2.0 Dolby Mono audio. The American theatrical trailer is also included.

By itself, THE SNOW DEVILS is an offbeat, if occasionally sluggish, sci-fi adventure, with square-jawed heroes, sexy Eurobabes, primitive special effects, and some dodgy dubbing. But for fans of Euro-fantasy films of the era - and especially, those who are familiar with the rest of the "Gamma 1" series - it's a fun, final visit to Margheriti's unique and trippy vision of the future.

BUY:  The Snow Devils

TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL

"Oh, hello officer, we've had a doozy of a day. There we were, minding our own business, just doing chores around the house, when kids started killing themselves all over our property..."

I first became aware of director Eli Craig's TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL (2010) when a friend linked to the trailer on Facebook. From that brief sample, it was clear that I would want to see the blood-soaked, backwoods black comedy when it became available. When the DVD showed up here at the Late Show for review, I had it spinning in the player within minutes of opening the envelope.

West Virginian native Tucker (Alan Tudyk, SERENITY) and his best pal, the shy, good-hearted Dale (Tyler Labine, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES) are off to their "vacation home" in the mountains, an isolated, run-down shack/cabin, that they intend fix up, while squeezing in some night fishing for fun. En route to their cabin, they encounter a group of obnoxious college kids on a camping trip, who assume - based on the  appearance of the men - that the hillbillies are chainsaw-wielding maniacs. When Tucker & Dale rescue one of the girls (Katrina Bowden, 30 ROCK, THE SHORTCUT) from drowning, her friends assume that she's been kidnapped by the guys, and proceed, in a series of disastrous - and hilarious - attempts to rescue her, to kill themselves off through sheer, hysterical stupidity. As city-bred co-eds keep snuffing themselves all around them, Tucker & Dale frantically try to make sense of the insanity...

I really enjoyed TUCKER & DALE, and thought it was the best genre comedy I've seen since Edgar Wright's SHAUN OF THE DEAD, which it tonally resembles. The screenplay by director Craig and co-writer Morgan Jurgenson is clever, suspenseful, funny as hell, and shows a clear affection and appreciation for the horror subgenre that it so savagely satirizes. The performances - especially those of Tudyk and Labine - are marvelous; multi-layered and genuine. Each act of violence is more hilarious - and gory - than the last, and the cinematography and editing are first-rate.

The DVD from Magnet Releasing sports a crystal clear, technically perfect, 2.35: 1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and robust 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. Extras include an engaging and entertaining commentary track by Craig, Labine and Tudyk, "Making Of" featurette, outtakes, storyboards, the theatrical trailer, and, best of all, a re-edited, condensed version of the film from the POV of the terrified college kids, "Tucker & Dale ARE Evil."

TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL is a first-rate horror spoof, made with affection and considerable talent. Tudyk and Labine shine in the titular roles, and the movie is one of the rare few that actually lives up to the promise of its premise. Highly Recommended.

BUY:  Tucker & Dave Vs Evil

ENTER THE NINJA

Back in the late 1970s, martial arts champion Mike Stone thought he might like to get into the movies. To that end, he wrote a screenplay as a vehicle for himself, one that would showcase his fighting skills. Eventually, that script fell into the hands of Cannon Films moguls Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. The enterprising cousins saw the potential in Stone's story, and bought it - but decided that Stone lacked the International box office name recognition that would help ensure the film's success, so they cast another actor in the lead. That actor was Franco Nero and the film was ENTER THE NINJA (1981).

The movie begins as American vet Cole (Nero, DJANGO) completes his training at a Japanese dojo devoted to maintaining the traditions of ninjitsu. Caucasian Cole is at the top of his class, which really pisses off his ill-tempered Nipponese classmate, Hasegawa (Sho Kosugi, 9 DEATHS OF THE NINJA, NINJA ASSASSIN). Upon his graduation, Cole travels to the Philippines, where his old Army buddy Frank (Alex Courtney) is trying to run a cocoanut plantation. Unfortunately, Frank's being pressured to sell his land by a vicious band of thugs in the employ of a corrupt developer named Venarius (Christopher George, THE EXTERMINATOR, THE RAT PATROL), and has become a pathetic alcoholic. Frank's wife Mary Ann (Susan George, STRAW DOGS, VENOM) is trying to keep things together, but she can't do it alone... so, like every good Western cowboy hero, Cole sticks around to help out. After Cole kicks the asses of Venarius' hired goons a few times, the businessman calls in the big gun: the evil "black ninja" Hasegawa , and the two old rivals face off in a duel to the death....

Directed by Menaham Golan, ENTER THE NINJA is, by all subjective criteria, an awful film. The story is a mishmash of refried B-Western tropes, the photography and editing are sloppy, and the movie just plain looks - and feels - cheap. Nero (sporting a bushy porn 'stache) is dubbed throughout, and is all-too-obviously doubled in all of the fight scenes by Mike Stone. Kosugi's thickly-accented dialogue is nigh-incomprehensible. The usually reliable Christopher George camps it up dreadfully as the effete heavy, and Golan's direction is bland and listless. 

But, all that said, ENTER THE NINJA is goofy fun, especially during the over-the-top fight scenes. 

It was a tremendous commercial success in drive-ins, on 80s pay cable, and as a popular VHS perennial. It kick-started the entire "ninja" craze of the 80s, made a star (for a few years, anyway) of Sho Kosugi, and made millions of teenage boys buy "authentic" ninja uniforms and throwing stars from kung fu magazines. What it didn't do, unfortunately, was make a movie star out of Mike Stone.

Inexplicably missing on DVD until now, this highly-influential martial arts potboiler is finally seeing a MOD release from the MGM Limited Edition Collection. The disc features a very nice, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and perfectly adequate 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono audio. The (apparently remastered) source print is nearly pristine, with virtually no distracting specks or other defects. Picture quality is sharp & clear, with stable colors and strong blacks. The only extra is the amusing original theatrical trailer.

I've had ENTER THE NINJA on my "Most Wanted DVDs" list forever, and am thrilled that MGM finally made the title available on MOD disc. It's a terrible flick, but I have to admit that I love it - and I know a lot of other action buffs of my generation love it, too. Even better, the disc looks good. Now, if only they'd release NINJA III: THE DOMINATION...


BUY:  Enter The Ninja

HORROR EXPRESS (Blu-ray & DVD)

Director Eugenio Martín's 1972 fright film, HORROR EXPRESS (PÁNICO EN EL TRANSIBERIANO) is, arguably, the most interesting and enjoyable 70s pairing of acclaimed horror film stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Long considered to be in the public domain in America, this British-Spanish co-production has seen dozens (at least) of crappy, washed out, battered-looking video releases over the years. Now, thanks to the fine folks at Severin Films, this Gothic gem finally receives the high-quality, high-definition treatment it deserves in an extraordinary DVD/Blu-ray Combo pack.

In 1906 China, Professor Alexander Saxton (Christopher Lee, HORROR OF DRACULA, THE RESIDENT) unearths a frozen fossil in the Manchurian province of Szechuan that he believes may be the "missing link." Determined to bring the fossil back to England, he crates up the creepy creature's remains, drags it to Shanghai and boards the trans-Siberian Express train, where he encounters professional rival Dr. Wells (Peter Cushing, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, SHOCK WAVES). During the trip, an alien entity trapped within the icy corpse is released, possessing various passengers, absorbing their knowledge and memories, and then moving on, leaving blank-eyed corpses in its wake. The two British scientists set out to identify and destroy the creature, but their efforts are complicated by paranoia among the survivors and the arrival of an overbearing Russian military officer (Telly Savalas).

HORROR EXPRESS is a delightfully claustrophobic and suspenseful mishmash of Gothic horror, zombie, sci-fi and serial killer tropes, with a dash of 70s Satanic possession elements tossed in for spice. With a twisty, witty and constantly surprising screenplay written to take advantage of a detailed - and startlingly realistic - vintage steam train model built for another movie, HORROR EXPRESS is 90 fast-paced minutes of thrills, chills, and terrific performances by a talented, International cast. The special effects are remarkably good - and surprisingly gory - for a film of its vintage, and the production values are top-notch. The eerie score by composer John Cacavas is also noteworthy, adding considerably to the overall success of the film.

Cushing and Lee are in fine form, the two old friends playing off each other magnificently, and - unlike many of their 70s pairings - enjoying equal screen time and prominence in the plot.  Eurobeauties Helga Liné and Silvia Tortosa provide lovely eye candy, and Savalas is a hoot as the arrogant Cossack, Captain Kazan, assigned by his superiors to investigate the murders on the speeding train.

As stated above, HORROR EXPRESS has seen many previous home video releases on VHS and DVD, including a fairly decent, non-anamorphic DVD from Image Entertainment back in the late 90s. For this new edition, Severin Films has used the original Spanish negative as the source of their 1.66:1 widescreen 1080p HD transfer. Clearly, the custodians of the negative didn't take particularly good care of it - there is minor damage throughout in the form of specks and small scratches. But the colors are bright, detail is astounding, and the overall visual presentation is light years superior to any previous home video release. Two audio options are provided: English and Spanish dialogue tracks in Dolby 2.0 mono.

Severin has assembled a nice batch of supplements, including an enthusiastic Introduction by Fangoria editor Chris Alexander, new interviews with director Martín, producer Bernard Gordon and composer Cacavas, and a vintage audio Interview with Peter Cushing, which can be played as a commentary over the film, and which covers the distinguished actor's film career in great detail. Finally, there's the creepy theatrical trailer, along with previews of three other Severin titles - PSYCHOMANIA, NIGHTMARE CASTLE and the forthcoming THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD.

This new HORROR EXPRESS Blu-ray/DVD combo is, by far, the finest presentation of the movie to date, and barring a future, frame-by-frame digital restoration, likely to be the definitive video version for some time to come. Fans of the film and or the Lee & Cushing team - even if they don't own a Blu-ray player - should pick it up; it's reasonably priced and the DVD contains the same fine transfer and bonus material as the Blu-ray disc, albeit in standard definition.

HORROR EXPRESS is a classic chiller, and highly recommended.

BUY: Horror Express DVD/BLURAY Combo [Blu-ray]

WILD, WILD PLANET

I finally got my hands on Warner Archive's edition of the first movie in director Antonio Margheriti's "Gamma 1" Italian space opera quadrilogy, WILD, WILD PLANET (1965), and, I have to say, it certainly lives up to its bombastic title.

A mad scientist named Dr. Nurmi (Massimo Serato) is conducting illegal bio-engineering experiments for his employers, the CBM Corporation, kidnapping dozens of Earth VIPs in a conspiracy to create a new breed of superior human. The kidnappings are conducted by beautiful female androids - and their black-clad, four-armed, bald, sunglass-sporting, synthetic helpers - who shrink their targets down to the size of old G.I. Joe dolls, and stash them into briefcases for easy transport. This is obviously a problem, so the United Democracies Space Command (UDSC) assigns space station Gamma 1's square-jawed Commander Mike Halstead (Tony Russell) to investigate the bizarre abductions. The investigation becomes personal when the oily Dr. Nurmi determines that Halstead's main squeeze, Lt. Connie Gomez (Lisa Gastoni), is a "perfect specimen," and lures her to his secret laboratory on the mysterious planetoid, Delphos....

WILD, WILD PLANET is a colorful, low-budget interplanetary comic strip adventure, packed to overflowing with (appropriately) wild sci-fi ideas and early-60s "mod" atmosphere. As with the other films in the cycle (WAR BETWEEN THE PLANETS, WAR OF THE PLANETS, THE SNOW DEVILS, all of which were shot back-to-back by Margheriti with WILD, WILD PLANET), the flick moves along at a lively pace, is filled with cheaply-executed special effects, and packed with lovely European starlets. The story is ridiculous, of course, and the dubbed dialogue is patently banal (and often unintentionally hilarious), but... you know, ultimately, it's cool, unpretentious, corny fun.

Interesting casting note: handsome Franco Nero (ENTER THE NINJA) appears in a supporting role as one of Commander Halstead's spaceman sidekicks, just a year or so before his starmaking turn in the Spaghetti Western classic, DJANGO.

The manufacture-on-demand DVD-R from Warner Archive sports a nice, relatively clean, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, and Dolby 2.0 mono audio. While neither audio nor video are exactly pristine, the flick looks quite good, and the dubbed dialogue and musical score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino sound fine. There are no extras on this disc, not even the entertaining trailer (which you can be easily found and enjoyed on YouTube).

WILD, WILD PLANET is an enjoyably offbeat and entertaining Sixties space opera. I loved it. Recommended.

BUY:  Wild; Wild Planet

ZOMBIE (Blu-ray)

George Romero's 1978 undead epic, DAWN OF THE DEAD, was a huge hit in Italy, where it was presented by co-producer Dario Argento under the title ZOMBI. It was so successful, in fact, that a group of enterprising filmmakers immediately produced their own, unofficial "sequel," directed by Lucio Fulci, and released under the title ZOMBI 2. This same movie was then exported to America, where it was known - and still is - by the title ZOMBIE. Now, the exploitation experts at Blue Underground have brought the film to high definition home video with a stunning new Blu-ray release.

A small schooner sails into New York harbor, seemingly abandoned. When the Harbor patrol investigates, one of the officers is attacked by a blood-drenched, cannibalistic corpse - a flesh-eating zombie. The corpulent creature is shot by the officer's terrified partner and falls into the bay. The police determine that the boat is owned by a scientist named Bowles, and contact his daughter Anne (Mia Farrow's sister, Tisa, of ANTHROPHAGUS). All she knows his that her father was on holiday in the Caribbean, and she hasn't heard from him in some time. Accompanied by a tabloid reporter named Peter West (British actor Ian McCulloch, CONTAMINATION), she heads for the islands to find out what happened to her father. Hitching a ride with a couple of American vacationers with a boat, they follow the trail to Matoul Island, where they discover a haggard Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson, DEADLIER THAN THE MALE, THE HAUNTING), who is attempting to deal with a plague of reanimated, flesh-hungry corpses....

Famous for its shocking gore, apocalyptic tone, and its legendary underwater "zombie vs. shark" scene, Fulci's ZOMBIE has acquired a certain cult status among horror film fans. Although a bit slow-moving in the beginning and middle, it is an effectively unnerving film, with a lot of creepy atmosphere and some genuinely audacious zombie violence in the final act. The acting is mostly good, although some performances are undercut by some dodgy dubbing. Richard Johnson stands out, though, as the doctor trying to find a "cure" for the bizarre phenomenon as everyone around him succumbs.

The make-up and gore effects are primitive, but surprisingly effective, with a couple of definite show-stoppers - moments that were so shocking to the sensibilities of the late 70s, that ZOMBIE was labeled a "video nasty" by UK censors in the 1980s, and for many years was only available there in drastically edited versions.

ZOMBIE has had a long history on home video, usually in poor-quality, edited forms. Blue Underground's new uncut Blu-ray version is, by far, the best I've ever seen it look, with a bright, 2K HD transfer in 1080p 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, sourced from the original camera negative. Colors are stable and bright - but not over saturated, there are no obtrusive scratches, specks or other damage, and every gory second of Fulci's flick is intact. The transfer is so good, in fact, that if it wasn't for the 70s haircuts and clothing (and lack of annoying CGI), you'd think it was shot within the last couple years.

Disc one of the two-disc Blu-ray special edition includes the feature film, with a commentary track by actor Ian McCullough and Diabolik magazine editor Jason Slater, a video introduction by filmmaker - and ZOMBIE fan - Guillermo Del Toro, a couple of trailers, TV spots, and an exhaustive still gallery. Disc 2 - also a HD Blu-ray - contains eight featurettes, spotlighting various contributors to the film. One covers a reunion of the primary cast at a U.S. horror convention, while the rest consist of interviews with the film's writers, producer, cinematographer, production designer, make-up artists, etc. Finally, there's a 10-minute celebration of ZOMBIE by Del Toro.

Blue Underground's two-disc edition should satisfy fans of the movie and fans of Euro-horror in general. Media Blasters has their own edition of the film available, under the ZOMBI 2 title. I haven't seen that version, and I know it has different supplemental material, but I can't imagine it looks any better than BU's Blu-ray. Highly recommended.

BUY:  Zombie (2-Disc Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray]

MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD

"Listen, there's a bunch of people from the cemetery who are stark, raving mad, and they'll kill you and eat you if they catch you. It's like a disease. It's like rabies, only faster, a lot faster. That's why you've got to come and get us out of here now... right now!"

In the vein of HIS NAME WAS JASON and NEVER SLEEP AGAIN comes a new retrospective documentary about a fan favorite 80s horror film. In this case, it's a feature-length tribute to the late Dan O'Bannon's 1985 cult classic, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, titled MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD (2011).

As with the aforementioned docs, MORE BRAINS chronicles the making of the zombie opus, from its early origins as a direct sequel novel & screenplay to George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, written by John Russo, through its acquisition by independent producer Tom Fox, to its eventual reshaping and execution by O'Bannon into the memorably macabre horror comedy it became. Virtually every principal involved in the film's creation and making is interviewed on-camera, and their recollections are skillfully assembled into a clear and flowing narrative. Production designer William Stout, writer John Russo, the make-up artists and almost the entire cast appear, and their continued enthusiasm and affection for the movie is contagious.

MORE BRAINS is narrated by actor Brian Peck - who played the role of "Scuz" in the film, and also appeared in both sequels (often as various zombies) - and includes interviews with actors James Karen, Clu Gulager, Thom Matthews, Linnea Quigley, Jewel Shepherd and Beverly Randolph (among others). There are plenty of interesting anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories, a slew of rare photos and footage, special effects "secrets," and even a little dirt. If you're a true fan of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, the documentary is an exhaustive treasure trove of tasty trivia and tidbits.

Running four hours, the DVD from MPE Entertainment presents MORE BRAINS! in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Extras include featurettes covering the two sequel movies, including additional interviews with the cast and crew of those films, a Dan O' Bannon interview recorded shortly before his death in 2009, a Stacey Q music video, a video tour of the original filming locations, and trailers for the movie and the NEVER SLEEP AGAIN disc.

Obviously, MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD is intended pretty much exclusively for hardcore fans of that 1985 flick, and if you are such a fan, then you might want to check it out. It's very well-made, and is a fascinating chronicle of Eighties horror filmmaking.

BUY:  More Brains! A Return To The Living Dead

DARK ANGEL

Back in 1990, rising action star Dolph Lundgren followed up his lead roles in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE and THE PUNISHER with a science fiction/buddy cop thriller that was released in the U.S. as I COME IN PEACE - a film known everywhere else in the world as DARK ANGEL. It's under that latter title that it now comes to DVD from the MGM Limited Edition Collection of manufactured-on-demand discs.

Tough Houston cop Jack Caine (Lundgren, COMMAND PERFORMANCE, THE KILLING MACHINE) loses his partner in a botched sting operation, and upon investigating, discovers that a seven-foot-tall albino extraterrestrial criminal (Matthias Hues, FIST FIGHTER) is on the loose. The alien is stealing heroin from the city's dealers, which he then injects into human victims until they die of an overdose, at which time he extracts the endorphins from their brains. Why? Well, apparently, human endorphins are a valuable narcotic "out there." Caine is partnered with an obnoxious, by-the-book FBI Agent named Smith (Brian Benben, DREAM ON), and together they hunt down the murderous spaceman, trying to put an end to his killing spree.

DARK ANGEL is a terrifically fun, fast-paced sci-fi cop flick in the vein of THE HIDDEN, loaded with well-choreographed and shot fight scenes, car chases, huge explosions and a delightfully bonkers plot. Lundgren is reliably entertaining in his stock tough-guy role, demonstrating some impressive karate moves. Benben is perfectly cast as the stick-up-his-ass Fed, and the imposing Hues is eerie and effective as the alien drug dealer. The stunts and special effects are state-of-the-art for a late-80s/early 90s flick, and still pretty impressive today.

The MOD disc from the MGM Limited Edition Collection sports a remarkably nice, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, that, while a little soft-looking (and that's probably due to the 80s film stock it was shot on), is otherwise pristine, with bright colors, solid blacks, and no evident specks, scratches or other print damage. Audio is a very solid Dolby Digital 2.0. The disc also includes a single bonus feature: the enjoyable International theatrical trailer.

DARK ANGEL is pure, over-the-top, Old School 80s-styled action movie entertainment, with an utterly insane plot, tons of goofy dialogue and plenty of bang for your buck. If that's your thing, you really should check it out. For those of you who remember the movie as I COME IN PEACE from its run on U.S. cable or its VHS incarnation, and have been waiting for it to hit DVD, you should be quite pleased with the quality of this MOD disc - it looks great, and it's nice to finally see it in its proper widescreen format.

Recommended.

BUY:  Dark Angel

SCREAM 4 (Blu-ray & DVD)

Eleven years after the concluding chapter of the mega-popular SCREAM trilogy, director Wes Craven and original screenwriter Kevin Williamson, revisit the small town of Woodsboro, to introduce a new generation to the knife-wielding "Ghostface" and their particular brand of self-referential, self-aware meta-horror. That's right, kids, it's SCREAM 4 (2011), an accomplished but unnecessary sequel that offers little that's new, except for some fresh young teen grist for the bloody mill.

Ten years after the events of SCREAM 3, series survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell, WILD THINGS) returns to her hometown for the first time since the original spate of murders. She's written a self-help book, and her publicist (Alison Brie, COMMUNITY) has picked Woodsboro as the final stop on her book tour. There, she is reunited with now-Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette), and his wife, former TV journalist, Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox, COUGAR TOWN). Of course, it's merely a matter of time before someone wearing the familiar mask is on the loose, making threatening phone calls and running around with cutlery, terrorizing Sidney and the new generation of horror movie-obsessed Woodsboro teens, racking up an impressive body count....

As with the earlier entries, SCREAM 4 attempts to both comment on/satirize the conventions and cliches of the current cinematic horror genre, while simultaneously indulging in them. Williamson's script (with uncredited additions from SCREAM 3 screenwriter Ehren Kruger) dutifully decries the recent trends of "torture porn" and unnecessary slasher remakes, while essentially being a remake itself of the original SCREAM. There are a few moments of genuine suspense, and if you're a fan of the original films, it's fun to have the band back together (including cinematographer Peter Deming and composer Marco Beltrami).  But, while SCREAM 4 is moderately entertaining, it's ultimately over-familiar and uninspired.

Technically, it's a slick piece of work, and the cast all deliver solid performances. The returning cast members appear to be having a good time, and the new kids - Emma Roberts, Lucy Hale, Hayden Panettiere (HEROES) - all acquit themselves adequately.

The Bluy-ray/DVD combo from Anchor Bay Entertainment of SCREAM 4 looks and sounds great, with a pristine 2.35:1 widescreen presentation (1080p on the BD) that's very pleasing to the eye. The Blu-ray disc sports a robust 5.1 DTSHD-MA audio track, while the DVD suffices with a very solid 5.1. Dolby Surround channel. Extras on both discs include an audio commentary track by Wes Craven and actresses Campbell, Roberts and Panettiere, a selection of deleted and extended scenes, an alternate opening and extended ending, a "Making Of" featurette, and a gag reel. The package also includes instructions on how to download a Digital Copy of the film.

I've read some pretty harsh reviews of this belated sequel, and while I don't feel that it really adds anything substantial to the franchise, I must admit that I enjoyed watching it and was never bored. All said, it's still slightly better than part 3, and about on a par with part 2. If you're a fan of the franchise, you'll probably want to at least check it out.

BUY:  Scream 4 [Blu-ray]

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK - SPECIAL EDITION

I've mentioned before that the Seventies and Eighties were the Golden Age of the "Made For Television" movie. Each major network had one or two nights of the week set aside for both theatrical films and TV movies. Every genre was exploited - from mystery to romance to sci-fi and action - but it's the scary ones that seemed to stick in people's memories.

One of these, director John Newland's DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, originally aired on October 10th, 1973 on ABC and, apparently, haunted the memories of many of those who saw it at the time, eventually leading to its recent, big-budget, theatrical remake. Now, to-tie-in with that aforementioned remake, Warner Archive has re-issued the telefilm as a made-to-order "Special Edition" DVD.

Lawyer Alex Farnham (Jim Hutton, NIGHTMARE AT 43 HILLCREST) and his wife Susan (Kim Darby, TRUE GRIT, BETTER OFF DEAD) move into her family's old Victorian mansion upon her mother's death. The house needs lots of renovation, and in the process of fixing the place up, she comes across a locked study with a bricked-up fireplace. Although her mother's crusty old handyman, Harris (film and TV character actor William Demerest) advises her to leave the room and chimney alone, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she soon inadvertently releases a trio of tiny, whispering goblins from their prison, three creatures with their own diabolical plans for the young, nervous housewife...

Reportedly produced at an accelerated schedule of just about two weeks, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK is a handsomely-mounted, low-budget chiller capably directed by Newland, who was best known as the on-screen host of the late-50s paranormal anthology series ONE STEP BEYOND, before turning his attentions to TV directing in the 60s and 70s. The special effects are generally pretty good, combining small actors in furry suits with eerie, gourd-like, full-head masks with over-sized props and scaled-up sets, although there are several instances where props and/or lighting don't quite match up with the master footage. And while the creatures aren't terribly convincing once you've seen them, Newland does manage to put across the inherent creepiness of diminutive, malevolent monsters who can run around a house unseen and underfoot, causing all sorts of nasty little - and lethal - surprises. The director also manages - with writer Nigel McKeand - to pull of a terrific ending.

It helps that Darby is very effective in her role of a mousey wife dominated by an overbearing, career-obsessed husband, terrified by the beings she's unleashed but unable to convince anyone of their existence. It's a very good performance and carries the film. Hutton is also good as her dickish spouse, and Demerest is reliably cranky as the handyman who knows more than he's willing to tell.

The title was among Warner Archive's early MOD release, in a bare-bones, no-frills edition. Now, as a tie-in with the new film, WA has discontinued that  disc and re-issued it as a "Special Edition." This version sports a decent, if unspectacular, 1.33:1 "full-frame" transfer culled from a somewhat timeworn print. There's a fair amount of speckling throughout, a few scratches, and, it appears that a few frames are missing in one scene, causing an abrupt "jump." Audio is a satisfactory Dolby Digital 2.0 mono.

To justify its "Special Edition" label, WA has provided an audio commentary by three "fans" of the film: Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton of the website, Dread Central, screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick (FINAL DESTINATION) and Sean Abley of Fangoria. The track isn't particularly well-organized or informative; the participants basically ramble on, commenting on what's on screen, spouting random bits of trivia and making snarky comments. I know the movie is dated, and certainly not scary to modern horror audiences raised on the high-tech special effects and gushing gore of more recent fright films, but a track like this adds nothing to the experience of the movie. I'm not sure any of these guys are old enough to have actually seen it when it aired, and they definitely had nothing to do with the making of it. So the track ultimately provides little in the way of actual information about the movie, and certainly no context.

The 1973 version of DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK isn't likely to frighten anyone but young children these days, and with it's 70s TV pacing (complete with regular fade-outs for commercials) and comparatively low production values, it's not likely to impress even them. But for fans and students of the genre who can place the material in its proper context, and enjoy the talent and craftsmanship that went into making it - as well as the cast's able performances - it is definitely worth seeing. It also might be worth picking up for those who are old enough to have been spooked by it when they were kids, either in its original airing or subsequent syndication showings. The story is still a good one, and still has - if you let it - the ability to creep its way into the paranoid portions of the brain....

Recommended.

BUY:  Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (Remastered, Special Edition)

SCOOBY-DOO: MYSTERY INCORPORATED - Season 1, Volume 3

The best Scooby-Doo animated series since the 1969 original, SCOOBY DOO: MYSTERY INCORPORATED (2010), continues to delight and surprise with SEASON 1, VOLUME 3, containing four more great episodes from the show's triumphant first year.

The Scooby gang's hometown of Crystal Cove is the setting for these modern, new adventures, a small town that trades on its reputation for being "the hauntedest town in America" for tourism revenue. The regular quintet remains mostly unchanged: slightly-dim-but-enthusiastic Fred (the immortal Frank Welker), rich girl Daphne (Grey DeLisle), booksmart cutie Velma (Mindy Cohn), iconic slacker Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) and the legendary Great Dane Scooby Doo (Welker, again), but this series also - for the first time - gives us regular glimpses into their home lives (we actually meet their parents!) and reveals what the local authorities - specifically Sheriff Stone (Patrick Warburton, THE TICK) - think of the meddling kids and their dog.

With smart, witty scripts, creepy mysteries, some welcome characterization and contemporary, anime-inspired character designs that both update and honor the Iwao Takamoto originals, MYSTERY INCORPORATED is a winner. The writers at Warner Animation have brought contemporary TV storytelling methods to the show; while each episode functions as a standalone mystery, there's a bigger storyline running through the series, hinging on the machinations of a shadowy figure known only as "Mister E" (voiced by Lewis Black).

The animation and design are excellent, and the voice-acting and music (theme by Matthew Sweet) are all above-average. It's a very slick toon, and works on multiple levels. Old-time fans of the franchise will enjoy the many in-jokes and meta humor - including references to WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, THE TERMINATOR and H.P. Lovecraft - while kids will enjoy what they've always enjoyed about SCOOBY DOO: spooky mysteries, slapstick antics, and lots of running around.

Notable guest voices in this quartet of tales include Jeffrey Combs (RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND) as horror writer "H.P. Hatecraft," and author Harlan Ellison as, well, "Harlan Ellison." 

Warner Brothers' DVD release of "Season 1, Volume 3" contains episodes 9-12 of the series ("Battle Of The Humungonauts," "Howl Of The fright Hound," "The Secret Serum," and "Shrieking Madness"), presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, with a perfect, colorful transfer. Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. Aside from a handful of previews, there are no extra features.

Fans of the Scoobyverse will want to check this one out, whether they have kids or not. It's a surprisingly entertaining and intelligent animated show that appears to have been made by people who genuinely love the original 1960s series and who've found a way to update it with respect and sharp humor. My only complaint is that there's only four episodes per disc; I don't get the Cartoon Network, and can't watch the episodes as they air. Waiting for the next volume is going to be torture!

Highly recommended.

BUY:  Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated: Season 1 V.3

FRANKENHOOKER (Blu-ray)

"Wanna date?"

Synapse Films is on a roll lately, unleashing, over the last few months, a welcome onslaught of much-anticipated, high-quality, new Blu-ray releases of favorite cult and exploitation films like THE EXTERMINATOR, MANIAC COP, and Frank Henenlotter’s delightfully twisted horror comedy gem, FRANKENHOOKER (1990).

When the fiancée of suburban New Jersey native Jeffrey Franken (the wonderfully wry James Lorinz) is dismembered and killed in a freak lawn mower accident, the aspiring mad scientist saves her head and conceives a bizarre plan to bring his beloved Elizabeth (pretty Patty Mullen) back to life. After a visit to New York City and a pre-Disney-fied Times Square, he decides to use the body parts of prostitutes to build a new body for Elizabeth. Securing the necessary raw materials (in a hilariously grotesque manner), he successfully resurrects his girlfriend, only to have her head straight for 42nd Street to turn some (deadly) tricks!

Cult fave director Henenlotter’s (BASKET CASE, BRAIN DEAD) final film to date is a deliriously funny flick that pays respectful homage to the Frankenstein movies of the past while simultaneously wallowing in crude, lowbrow humor and unabashedly exploitative sex and gore. The special effects are decidedly rubbery and cartoony, but that doesn’t make them any less fun; in fact, the unreality of the effects adds to the overall loony tunes feel of the film. Hell, what other movie offers the visual spectacle of "super crack"-smoking, exploding prostitutes?

Previously released by budget label Simitar in a full-frame, slightly edited version, and in 2006 by Unearthed Films in a very solid Special Edition DVD, FRANKENHOOKER has now been given the HD treatment by Synapse Films with a flawlessly remastered, uncut, 1.85:1 1080p HD widescreen transfer. Picture quality is remarkable, with solid blacks, sharp details in most shots, and a fine, unobtrusive film grain. Audio options include a robust DTS-HD MA 5.1 track and a very solid DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo mix.

In addition, the new disc includes all of the special features from the Unearthed DVD edition, including a fun and informative audio commentary track from director Henenlotter and Gabe Bartalos, and on-screen interviews with Patty Mullen (who looked even more beautiful in '06 than she did in ’90) and actress Jennifer Delora, who played one of the hookers in the film. Delora also contributes her scrapbook photos to the package. Rounding it off, there’s also a behind-the-scenes featurette on the film’s special effects, the theatrical trailer, and a production still gallery.

FRANKENHOOKER is unquestionably one of the most enjoyably ludicrous horror-comedies of its era, and well worth checking out. Synapse's HD presentation is highly recommended.

BUY:  Frankenhooker (Blu-ray)