HK and Cult Film News's Fan Box

Monday, November 30, 2009

CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE -- DVD review by porfle


After seeing trailers for some of Joe Sarno's 70s sexploitation flicks on another Retro-Seduction Cinema DVD, along with a brief retrospective of his work, I was eager to see one of them for myself. I got my wish when CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE (1974) fell into my hot little hands, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a prime example of good filmmaking on a low budget, displaying a certain class and style that transcends the cheap sleaze this genre is often known for while still generously indulging our more prurient interests.

The simple storyline involves a pretty young housewife named named Carole (Rebecca Brooke) and her husband Eddie (David Hausman), who have a wide-open sexual relationship that includes their ultra-horny neighbors Anna (Chris Jordan) and her hubby Pete (Eric Edwards). When Carole's straight-laced, widowed mother Jennifer comes to visit, the young swingers are immediately fascinated by the gorgeous blonde mature babe whose repressed sexuality is just waiting to explode.

As the initially-shocked Jennifer lets down her inhibitions and begins to take part in her daughter's free-love lifestyle, each participant is so deeply affected by her that their relationships with each other are threatened. Not only that, but Carole herself is dangerously close to giving in to long dormant incestual feelings and going ga-ga for her own mom. Complicating things even more is the fact that Jennifer is forming her own relationship outside the group with a handsome young grocery delivery guy who is yearning for love after being abandoned by his wife.

They may not be great thespians, but the actors are appealing and play their characters well. Rebecca Brooke is a fresh young presence as Carole, while David Hausman plays her husband Eddie as a grown-up version of Greg Brady. As Anna, cutie Chris Jordan (Eric Edwards' real-life wife at the time) keeps things light with her comedic performance; aside from her sexual voracity, Anna is constantly stuffing herself with food without gaining an ounce and swooning over Jennifer's baked goods. Eric Edwards, of course, is a familiar face to 70s porn fans, one of those rare examples of the X-rated actor who can really act.


The main attraction here, though, is the stunningly gorgeous Jennifer Wells. Not only a skilled actress, she's also a first-class knockout, and it's easy to understand how the others could be so helplessly attracted to her. Voluptuous and natural (no plastic, no tattoos, no shaved pubes), her transition from apron-wearing mom baking pies in the kitchen to hot-blooded sexual animal is pretty exciting.

This is how you do softcore without making it boring. The sex scenes are hot and the actors are convincingly passionate and enthusiastic. Chris Jordan in particular seems to be literally having orgasms out the wazoo in some scenes. Sarno directs the sex sequences as logical extensions of the dramatic scenes instead of just letting the camera roll while actors boff each other. This looks like one of the better hardcore films of the 70s (without the more graphic shots, of course) when directors like Gerard Damiano were still trying to make actual movies instead of just extended sex scenes linked by minimal dialogue.

The fact that these sequences don't go on forever with endless, numbing closeups of ping-ponging genitalia sustains our interest and arousal levels while maintaining our awareness that a story is taking place. As film gave way to video in the 80s and porn became more of an assembly-line product churned out by increasingly lesser talents, such concerns were either minimalized or abandoned altogether, as shown in Paul Thomas Anderson's BOOGIE NIGHTS.


Joe Sarno's script keeps the melodrama moving along while delighting us with some occasionally kooky dialogue. After their initial meeting with Jennifer, Eddie remarks to Pete, "You know, her tits intrigue me...she never wears a bra" and Pete responds "Yeah, we were sitting there and her old tits were crying for my mouth." Later, while coming on to Jennifer for the first time, Pete gushes, "Your tits drive me outta my bird!"

Sarno makes the most of his $25,000 budget, giving the film a distinctive look with its soft-hued, color-saturated cinematography and artistic lighting. The print used for this DVD is fairly good, though there are quite a few patches that have that choppy, scratchy look commonly associated nowadays with "grindhouse" films. (I grew up watching battered film prints in theaters and on TV, so I hardly notice such things myself--in fact, it gives me a nice nostalgic feeling.) Jack Justis' groovy acoustic-guitar score, which compliments Sarno's subtle, introspective style, is included on a bonus CD. Extras also include an interview with Sarno, a few deleted scenes, an illustrated booklet with "making of" information and some sexy nude photos of Rebecca Brooke, and several of Retro-Seduction Cinema's well-produced trailers.

Retro-Seduction Cinema is doing a great job these days of bringing back the erotic films of yesteryear, and this DVD is no exception. If you're into that kind of stuff, then chances are you'll enjoy CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE as much as I did. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Joe Sarno's films.

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Saturday, November 28, 2009

MENTAL: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON -- DVD review by porfle


Watching MENTAL: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is like eating a bowl of peanut M&Ms. It's candy-coated, full of nuts, and not particularly good for you. But you may not want to stop until you've finished the whole thing.

Chris Vance (a dead ringer for a young Harvey Keitel) plays psychiatrist Jack Gallagher, who, in the series pilot, has just been appointed the new head of mental health services at a Los Angeles hospital. Jack has been promoted because of his effective yet highly unorthodox methods, which he displays as soon as he walks in the door. When a schizophrenic patient named Vincent strips naked and starts freaking out because he thinks everyone around him is a monster, Jack immediately doffs his own clothes and joins him. "I've got your back," he tells the agitated man, eventually calming him down. Thus, the episode is off and running with a clear example of what we can expect for the rest of the season--an offbeat hero whose alternative methods and empathy for his patients will save the day and astound his by-the-book colleagues time after time.

Annabella Sciorra co-stars as the hospital administrator Nora Skoff--Jack's ex-lover, as it turns out--who supports him despite much initial skepticism from those around her. This includes another psychiatrist, Dr. Veronica Hayden-Jones (Jacqueline McKenzie), who will eventually become Jack's ally, and two residents, Arturo Suarez (Nicholas Gonzalez) and Chloe Artis (Marisa Ramirez), who are similarly nonplussed at first but begin to find Jack's way of doing things intriguing. Jack's chief adversary is Dr. Carl Belle (Derek Webster), a conniving weasel who wants to turn the psychiatric wing into a testing ground for a large pharmacutical company with big pockets.

Because a regular doctor using conventional methods would be too boring for TV, Jack does cool stuff like breaking into the house where Vincent lives with his sister and her kids and rummaging through his stuff for clues to his behavior. Of course, Jack gets arrested and must be bailed out of jail by Dr. Skoff. He also insists that patients be allowed to sit in on administrative staff meetings, and then takes them outside to frolic around instead of being treated in a controlled environment. It's good that the writers give Jack such a wonderful success rate because I'm not sure how well he'd fare in a real psychiatric ward.

During the 13 episodes of season one we're introduced to a wide variety of troubled patients who need the kind of help that only Jack seems intuitive enough to give. Nicholle Tom guest stars as a woman who claims to be seven-months pregnant although her ultrasound says she isn't. Another patient is a small boy who retreats from his problems by playing a videogame inside his head in which he's running from various frightening creatures. Nina Siemaszko plays a woman pushing her husband, who has OCD and Tourette's, into dangerous brain surgery when she herself may be the root of his frequent relapses.

An autistic girl named Leeza is the only witness to her father's murder, but it takes Jack's intuitive empathy to get anywhere with her. Another patient, a construction worker injured in an accident, seems to be suffering from memories of a mine collapse that happened decades before he was born. David Carradine makes his final television appearance as a catatonic author whose guilt over his wife's death may be what's keeping him from waking up. One of my favorite episodes, "House of Mirrors", is about a teenage girl named Heather who tries to commit suicide by setting herself on fire. While delving into Heather's troubled psyche, Jack makes a startling discovery concerning her physical state as well.

In the penultimate episode 12, "Life and Limb", Jack finally locates his long-lost sister, Becky (Amanda Douge), who suffers from schizophrenia and has been living on the streets for years. It turns out she's the most important thing in his life--his obsession--and he's fighting the efforts of his mother (Samantha Eggar) and stepfather to gain custody of Becky and put her in an institution near their home in Florida. Meanwhile, a troubled young man with a body-image disorder cuts his own hand off because he feels it doesn't belong on his body. While his parents struggle to attain the legal power to have the hand reattached against their son's wishes, Jack tries to convince them that he's happier without it. Weird--and not quite how I might've handled it--but interesting.


The season finale, "Bad Moon Rising", finds the entire cast being held hostage by a werewolf. Yes, this dangerously unstable individual thinks that when the full moon rises he'll turn into a hairy, murderous beast, and after his initial cry for help is rebuffed by a dismissive Dr. Belle (the jerk!) he invades Jack's apartment and holds everyone at gunpoint until the rising of the moon will prove that he needs help. Jack, of course, does the only logical thing available--he tells the crazed gunman to bite him. (Yes, he literally says, "Bite me!") Thus, he puts himself in the same boat with the patient as he so often does, and they both await their impending transformation together.

A parallel plotline has the cash-strapped psychiatric wing threatened with closure unless Dr. Skoff can come up with lots of money fast, making way for the evil pharmacutical company to move in and take over. With dastardly Dr. Belle as their point man, the first order of business is to fire Jack and send him packing--ending the season with your classic cliffhanger.

This 4-disc set from 20-Century Fox Home Entertainment is in widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 with English, French, Portugese, and Spanish subtitles. Disc four contains an alternate, unrated version of the pilot in which you get to see Jack's bare bum. There's also a brief featurette, "Paging Dr. Gallagher", in which Chris Vance talks about his character ("The stuff that Jack gets up to is...bordering on ridiculous", he candidly admits).

"Mental" isn't great television but it's pretty good compared to most of the dreck that clogs the airwaves. Breezy and easy to watch despite its often dark subject matter, it's a fantasy version of psychiatry that presents unusual mental maladies for its rather flaky hero to deal with in quirky and sometimes downright odd ways. Not quite realistic, perhaps, but I found it almost effortlessly entertaining.

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

CHFB Forum Gives Readers the Bird For Thanksgiving!!!


Hey, it looks as though the lovesick Frankenstein monster and his unwilling bride got together after all!

Either that, or the delightfully twisted imagination of artist Kerry "Count Gamula" Gammill has come up with yet another great seasonal banner for the Classic Horror Film Board, this time a wickedly amusing take-off on Norman Rockwell's famous Thanksgiving painting.

As a grandmotherly Elsa Lanchester parks the bird on the table, you can almost hear Boris Karloff intoning in his familiar low, growling voice: "We belong fed." Let's just hope nobody bites into that monstrous turkey and screams: "It's ALIVE!!!"

Here's to a Happy Thanksgiving in the House of Frankenstein--and we here at HK and Cult Film News join the CHFB in hoping you and yours had one in your house, too!
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Anchor Bay Entertainment goes "BEYOND SHERWOOD FOREST" -- on DVD February 23, 2010



Twelfth Century England was a tantalizing mixture of heroism and villainy. While there was tyranny and black magic, there was also romance and beauty – there was Sherwood Forest . And there was also a hero: the outlaw archer known as Robin Hood. On February 23, 2010 , Anchor Bay Entertainment will release the Syfy Channel movie Beyond Sherwood Forest for an SRP of $19.97 that will please rich and poor alike.

Starring Robin Dunne (“Sanctuary,” “ Dawson ’s Creek”) and Erica Durance (“Smallville”), Beyond Sherwood Forest is a story of danger and derring-do, of fantasy and phantasms. The Sheriff of Nottingham has unleashed a hideous winged monster – a tortured forest spirit – to destroy the gentle towns and woods of England , massacre Robin’s men and capture his Maid Marian. Hearts will run cold with fear and streets will run red with blood. Can The Prince of Thieves and his gallant men defeat this beast from another world and her cruel master?

Directed by Peter DeLuise (“Kyle XY”, “Stargate SG-1”), Beyond Sherwood Forest also features a band of stars such as Julian Sands (“24,” “Bollywood Hero”), Katharine Isabelle (Freddy vs. Jason) and David Richmond-Peck (“V,” 2012). With a sly combination of science-fiction, myth and realism this is a story that takes the viewer through torrid skies and shadowy lands; beyond history, beyond fable…Beyond Sherwood Forest!

BEYOND SHERWOOD FOREST
Street Date: February 23, 2010
Prebook Date: January 21, 2010
Catalog #: P2418
UPC #: 0 1313 82418-8 7
SRP: $19.97
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Rating: NR
Run Time: 93 Minutes
Bonus Features: Behind-The-Scenes Feature; Theatrical Trailer

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

"Chai Lai Angels: Dangerous Flowers" Arriving On DVD December 15 From Magnolia Home Entertainment


ACTION HAS NEVER BEEN SO SEXY! From The Creators Of Ong-Bak, Five Sexy Spies Star In The Electrifying Thai Action Comedy, Chai Lai Angels: Dangerous Flowers, Arriving On DVD December 15 From Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Releasing label.

Code named Rose, Lotus, Poysien, Spadix and Hibiscus, the five “Chai Lais” (Thai for “gorgeous”) are charged with the perilous assignment to combat evil terrorists, foil a kidnapping and recover a national treasure. A mission unlike any they have known, the quintet of high-heeled undercover agents must use all their ingenuity and prowess to save the day. The heroines combine their unique abilities with ninja kicks and seductive stunts in a highly entertaining battle for victory.

Get a dose of girl power and sexy stunts with "Chai Lai Angels: Dangerous Flowers."

Actors: Jintara Poonlarp, Bongkoj Khongmalai, Supakson Chaimongkol, Bunyawan Pongsuwan, Kessarin Ektawatkul
Directors: Poj Arnon

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: Thai, English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Number of discs: 1
Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: December 15, 2009
Run Time: 102 minutes

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Journey to the outer reaches of terror in "PANDORUM" -- coming to DVD and Blu-ray January 19 from Anchor Bay Entertainment


DENNIS QUAID AND BEN FOSTER ARE ANYTHING BUT ALONE IN OVERTURE FILMS’ "PANDORUM"

On DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday, January 19 From Anchor Bay Entertainment

BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster join Cam Gigandet, newcomer Antje Traue and martial arts phenom Cung Le in Pandorum, the terrifying sci-fi thriller from the creators of the Resident Evil film franchise, available on DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday, January 19th from Anchor Bay Entertainment (Pre-Book December 17th). Directed by Christian Alvart (Antibodies), Pandorum tells the story of two crew members stranded on a spacecraft who quickly--and horrifically--realize they are not alone.

Featuring a supporting cast that includes Eddie Rouse, André Hennicke, and Norman Reedus, Pandorum is the latest collaborative effort by Robert Kulzer, Jeremy Bolt, and Paul W. S. Anderson, the producers behind the hugely successful Resident Evil movie franchise. SRP is $29.98 for the DVD and $39.98 for the Blu-ray edition.

Justine Elias of The Boston Globe said "Pandorum is a dark, disquieting dream worth watching out for." Added Fangoria’s Tony Timpone, "Pandorum is a fever dream mash-up of sci-fi, horror and mystery that will keep you guessing till the action-packed finish."

In Pandorum, two astronauts awaken in a hyper-sleep chamber aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft. It’s pitch black, they are disoriented, and the only sound is a low rumble and creak from the belly of the ship. They can’t remember anything: Who are they? What is their mission? With Lt. Payton (Quaid; Vantage Point, The Express) staying behind to guide him via radio transmitter, Cpl. Bower (Foster; 3:10 to Yuma, Alpha Dog) ventures deep into the ship and begins to uncover a terrifying reality. Slowly the spacecraft’s shocking, deadly secrets are revealed--and the astronauts find their own survival is more precarious than they could ever have imagined.

The Pandorum DVD and Blu-ray bonus features include The World of Elysium: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette; What Happened to Nadia’s Team; Flight Team Training Video; Audio Commentary with Director Christian Alvart and Producer Jeremy Bolt; Deleted & Alternate Scenes; Still Galleries; Theatrical Trailer; and Sneak Peeks.

Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

Overture Films (www.overturefilms.net) develops, produces, acquires, and distributes feature length, theatrical motion pictures worldwide. The studio is a wholly owned unit of Starz Media, a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group NASDAQ: LCAPA, LCAPB), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation. Its affiliated companies, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Starz Entertainment, make the films available domestically to viewers via home video, premium television, Internet and other outlets.

PANDORUM DVD
Street Date: January 19, 2010
Pre-book: December 17, 2009
Cat. #: DV80013
UPC: 0 1313 80013 9 9
Run Time: 108 minutes
Rating: R
SRP: $29.98
Format: 2:35:1 / 16x9
Audio: Dolby Surround 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Bonus Features:
The World of Elysium: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
What Happened to Nadia’s Team
Flight Team Training Video
Audio Commentary with Director Christian Alvart and Producer Jeremy Bolt
Deleted & Alternate Scenes
Still Galleries
Theatrical Trailer
Sneak Peeks

PANDORUM BLU-RAY
Street Date: January 19, 2010
Pre-book: December 17, 2009
Cat. #: N3066
UPC: 0 1313 83066 8 5
Run Time: 108 minutes
Rating: R
SRP: $39.98
Format: 2:35:1 / 16x9
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Bonus Features:
The World of Elysium: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
What Happened to Nadia’s Team
Flight Team Training Video
Audio Commentary with Director Christian Alvart and Producer Jeremy Bolt
Deleted & Alternate Scenes
Still Galleries
Theatrical Trailer
Sneak Peeks

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Saturday, November 21, 2009

PAPER HEART -- DVD review by porfle


There are documentaries--films which record actual events as they happen--and mockumentaries like THIS IS SPINAL TAP, which spoof them. And then there's PAPER HEART (2009), which only partially succeeds at being both.

Comedienne and musician Charlyne Yi (CLOVERFIELD, KNOCKED UP), who executive-produced and co-wrote the film, stars as herself. The idea is that Charlyne not only doesn't know what love is, but she doesn't really believe in true love at all. So she takes off on a cross-country odyssey with director Nicholas Jasenovec (portrayed in the movie by actor Jake Johnson) and a film crew to ask really-real-life couples to talk about their love experiences.

During this time, Charlyne meets Michael Cera (played by Michael Cera, Yi's actual boyfriend at the time) and they start to fall for each other. Eventually Charlyne and Michael chafe under the constant scrutiny of the film crew and want to pursue their burgeoning courtship in private, to the chagrin of director Nick. Will Charlyne find the meaning of true love with a camera crew following her every move?

PAPER HEART has little trouble convincing us it's a real documentary early on, as Charlyne and Nick hatch the idea for the film and set off on their quest. Yi merely has to be herself here, and she's cute and funny--a natural. Despite being a washout as an interviewer, her gawky charm endears her to the various couples she meets and encourages them to open up and reveal some warm, moving anecdotes about themselves. She also wins over a group of yakky kids in a playground and a raunchy gang of bikers and their chicks in a dive bar. These sequences are very appealing and the stories are sometimes augmented by funny re-enactments using crude paper dolls and crayola-scrawled scenery.


It's only when the contrived situation of her meeting and being wooed by the boring Michael sets in that the film starts to get bogged down. This is especially true when, having separated from Michael after he's unwilling to continue with the film project, a distraught Charlyne has to quit being herself and actually act. This is hard enough in a fictional setting, but it's even harder to be convincing when you're pretending that you aren't really acting. (All three leads seem artificial in these plot-moving scenes.) It's something that even much better actors are often unable to do--just think of all those fake "man-in-the-street" interviews you've seen that never quite capture the impression of real people talking. Also, the sound quality and multiple camera angles in these scenes are just too good to come off as on-the-fly documentary footage.

As the fictional story nudges its way to the forefront, we begin to look forward to the brief real-life interludes. One highlight occurs at a wedding chapel in Las Vegas that features its own Elvis impersonator. Another takes place in an empty courtroom as a male judge and a female lawyer recount their long-term love affair with a quiet, deep-seated affection. A visit with two gay guys in New York gets serious when one of them becomes emotional about the death of a former lover. These heartfelt segments, capturing genuine examples of true love that leave a lasting impression, only make the sham-doc parts of the movie seem even more shallow.


The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 Dolby surround and English and Spanish subtitles. Extras include featurettes "Paper Heart Uncut" and "The Making of Paper Heart", deleted scenes, an interesting live musical performance by Charlyne, the music video "Heaven" by Charlyne and Michael (who also scored the movie), and brief interviews with various actors and comedians about their views on love.

PAPER HEART is fun to watch when it's dealing with real people and their compelling love stories, but loses its lighthearted charm when it goes from doc to mock. Maybe it should've just been done as a straight documentary--Charlyne Yi has the bubbly personality to carry it for real, and who knows? They might've captured a serendipitous finale that resonates much more than the cute but hollow paper-doll fantasy that ends the movie.

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Steven Seagal is "THE KEEPER" - On DVD January 19, 2010


REAL LIFE SHERIFF AND FILM ACTION STAR WITH OVER 2 BILLION IN BOX OFFICE SALES... STEVEN SEAGAL IS BACK IN "THE KEEPER"

A High Impact Thrill Ride Arriving Exclusively On DVD January 19th From Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (November 17, 2009) -- Iconic film action hero Steven Seagal (Hard to Kill, Under Siege) delivers his own form of justice in The Keeper, igniting on DVD January 19, 2010 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Steven Seagal unleashes his wrath--and his fists--in this fast-paced thriller about an ex-cop caught in a web of deceit, racism and murder. Chock full of high-octane stunts and eye-popping action, The Keeper is a nonstop adrenaline rush. Double-crossed by his rogue partner and forced to retire, Los Angeles street cop Rolland Sallinger (Seagal) accepts a gig guarding the beautiful daughter of a wealthy businessman.

But when mobsters kidnap the girl, Rolland’s job turns from protector to hunter as he untangles a dangerous web of lies and murder. Now, in a race against time, Rolland must use his wits, weapons and brute force to get her back--before it’s too late. With a supporting cast that includes Luce Rains (Public Enemies) and Kisha Sierra ("In Plain Sight"), The Keeper was written and produced by Seagal and directed by Keoni Waxman (I Shot A Man In Vegas). The Keeper will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $22.98 U.S. Prebook date is December 8.


About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets -- from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.

Follow TCFHE on Twitter @foxhomeent

The Keeper
Street Date: January 19, 2010
Pre-book Date: December 8, 2009
Pricing: $22.98 U.S.
Catalog Number: 2261555
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Screen Format: Widescreen -- 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish
Feature Run Time: 94 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

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"GHOST MACHINE"and "INALIENABLE" Coming Soon To DVD From Anchor Bay


WHAT HAPPENS WHEN VIRTUAL FUN BECOMES REAL TERROR?

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT REVS UP "GHOST MACHINE"

Materializing on DVD December 22nd

BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- One of the ancient rules of horror films--never disturb the spirits of the dead--gets a 21st century jolt of adrenaline when Anchor Bay Entertainment premieres Ghost Machine on DVD December 22nd. Starring a hot cast, including teen heartthrob Sean Faris (Forever Strong, Never Back Down), Rachael Taylor (Transformers, Shutter) and Luke Ford (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), Ghost Machine promises a technological journey into extreme horror! SRP is a translucent $26.97, and pre-book is November 19th.

A group of young U.S. military techs borrow a top-secret combat simulator for a weekend of unauthorized gaming. Alcohol, spliffs (a cigarette of multiple types of leaves) and virtual pornstars get the evening off to a cracking start. They set up the system inside an abandoned prison used for the torture of post-9/11 prisoners and discover that someone--or something--has uploaded itself into their A.I. software. A deadly new player has now joined the game: How do you survive the final level of lock-and-load virtual reality when escape is impossible, slaughter is uncontrollable and the enemy is unstoppable? The ultimate battle begins inside the...Ghost Machine!!!

Bonus Features:
• The Making of Ghost Machine
• Interview with Writer Sven Hughes
• Theatrical Trailer

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

GHOST MACHINE
Street Date: December 22, 2009
Pre-book: November 19, 2009
Cat. #: 0 1313 16364-9 9
UPC: DV16364
Run Time: 100 Minutes
Rating: R
SRP: $26.97
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)

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Anchor Bay Entertainment and science fiction legend Walter Koenig present INALIENABLE on DVD January 19th 2010

"A brilliant piece of work." --Sliceofscifi.com

Anchor Bay Entertainment joins forces with science fiction legend Walter Koenig ("Star Trek") to present an unforgettable thriller that explores science, the universe and moral justice. Inalienable, written by Koenig and premiering on DVD January 19, 2010, includes celestial foil "O-card" packaging that is truly out of this world! SRP is a heavenly $19.97, with a pre-book date of December 17, 2009.

In the film, scientist Eric Norris (Richard Hatch, "Battlestar Galatica") discovers his body is host to a parasite from another world. With the shocking revelation that this microscopic intruder also carries his DNA, Norris confronts the possibility that he might "give birth" to a new son to replace the one lost in a tragic accident years earlier. But will this birth represent a new fusion of human and alien--or spell doom for the entire human race?

Inalienable boasts a "who’s who" cast of sci-fi favorites: Koenig, Hatch, Erick Avari ("Heroes", "The Mummy", "Independence Day"), Marina Sirtis ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"), Richard Herd ("V"), Gary Graham ("Alien Nation"), and Alan Ruck ("Spin City", "Twister, "The Happening").

Inalienable
Street Date: January 19, 2010
Pre-Book Date: December 17, 2009
Catalog #: DV16682
UPC: 0 1313 16682-9 2
Run Time: 105 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $19.97
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Surround 5.1

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

RESIDENT EVIL: THE DARKSIDE CHRONICLES FOR THE Wii SHIPS TODAY

Wii Owners Get Their Resident Evil Fix as the Latest Installment to the Series Combines Frantic First-Person Arcade Shooter Action with 2-Player Co-op Gameplay

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Nov. 17, 2009 — Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that Resident Evil®: The Darkside Chronicles is now shipping to all North American retailers for Wii™. The latest installment in the Resident Evil® franchise, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a follow up to the successful Resident Evil®: The Umbrella Chronicles that took the series’ infamous characters and storylines and turned the gameplay on its side with new on-rails arcade shooter gameplay. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles takes this gameplay to a whole new level in terror as the camera now mimics the first person view creating a more dramatic and immersive horror experience.

The addition of a full 2-player co-op experience only adds to the game’s level of depth, as players can now shoot zombies with their friends throughout the game. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and has a suggested retail price of $49.99 at all major retailers across North America.

For a taste of the action, players can also check out Capcom’s Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles official interactive trailer at http://www.gametrailers.com/video/experience-the-darkside/57808. For the first time in a video game trailer, the audience will be able to engage in the action they see on screen by being able to shoot the zombies with a click of their mouse. Before players purchase the game, they can try it out at Gametrailers.com.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles sends a full cast of characters into a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred and the potential to go to the dark side lies within everyone. Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jack Krauser, Steve Burnside, and Chris Redfield all play their part in an engrossing storyline that will fill in the missing pieces from Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. This new chapter in the Resident Evil series retraces the terrifying ordeals of Resident Evil® 2 and Resident Evil® Code: Veronica, but this time from an all-new perspective. A vibrant new South America part of the story pairs Jack Krauser with Leon S. Kennedy as they hunt down Javier Hidalgo, a drug lord connected to the Umbrella Corporation.

The game’s on-rail, arcade shooter gameplay first featured in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, has been radically upgraded in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. To create a more terrifying and cinematic experience, the camera mimics the first person point of view and at times, zombies surround players so they must rely on each other to advance. Combined with an eerie soundtrack and a new graphics engine utilizing state-of-the-art technology, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles delivers the most fun and accessible horror game on Wii yet.
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Monday, November 16, 2009

BORN TO FIGHT -- DVD review by porfle


Panna Rittikrai is the godfather of Thai action flicks--he's written, directed, choreographed, and/or starred in fifty of them over the past twenty-five years, most notably ONG-BAK and THE PROTECTOR starring his protege' Tony Jaa. (I know all this stuff because I just looked it up on the Internet.) In 1984 he directed and starred in his first film, BORN TO FIGHT, (aka Gerd Ma Lui), featuring some of the most amazing stunts I've ever seen. Which is good, because if this movie had to get by on its acting, story, and production values, it would probably be lining a cat box somewhere at this very moment.

Panna plays Tong (or "Tony" as he's called in the badly-dubbed English soundtrack), a former cop who has been called back into action to protect Sianfong, a lawyer for a wealthy Hong Kong family. Sianfong has come across some documents revealing that Tungseung, the Yang family's eldest son-in-law, has been embezzling from the family fortune for years. Tungseung puts out a contract on Sianfong and enlists his old gang, the Green Dragons, to carry it out. After Sianfong flees to Thailand, Tong must track him down and keep the Green Dragons from getting their mitts on him.

The opening scenes of Sianfong discovering the documents and subsequently having to flee for his life look like an old Super-8 home movie from the 60s that somebody dug out of their closet. The source print used for this DVD is pretty beat-up, which only compounds the overall ineptness of the direction and photography. I'm willing to cut low-budget filmmakers a lot of slack, but this is as bad as it gets--I kept expecting to see the MST3K guys at the bottom of the screen, doing a running commentary.

When the Green Dragon boys show up at a warehouse on the trail of Sianfong, we get our first taste of the kind of action we can expect from BORN TO FIGHT. And although the camerawork and editing leave much to be desired, the fight choreography and stunts are awesome. Rarely have I seen stuntmen risk physical injury with such abandon. These guys actually punch and kick the crap out of each other, with several of the best blows repeated, at various speeds, up to three times--and sometimes we see two different takes of the same stunt back-to-back.

As the movie progresses and Tong proves to be a magnet for every two-fisted punk who lays eyes on him, the stuntwork keeps getting cranked up to a point where we often see things that we doubt the stuntman was able to walk away from. One guy wrecks his motorcycle, flies over the handlebars, and crashes through a billboard onto solid ground several feet below it. Another motorcycle gag shows the stuntman doing a head-on with a pickup truck and flying over it, again landing on solid ground. Not only do these guys eschew wirework and other fakery, they also work without a net.

A 35-minute bonus featurette called "Fearless Maniacs" shows young men coming from all over to audition as stunt performers in this and other films like it, and I got the impression that they'd do anything to be in the movies, regardless of the possible consequences. This suspicion seems to be borne out by the reckless abandon displayed by the stuntmen in many of these hair-raising action scenes.

The hand-to-hand fights are filmed in long takes with extensive choreography that is expertly performed, especially by Panna Rittikrai. He may not be much of an actor, but as a fighter he really knows his stuff and gets plenty of chances to demonstrate it. I haven't mentioned the plot of this movie much, and I'm not going to because it really doesn't matter. It's just an excuse for a succession of fights and stunts, all of which are a lot of fun to watch. Besides, the story is boring, and Tong's comedy-relief sidekick, Ruay, makes Jerry Lewis look like Sir Cedric Hardwicke.

I can't give BORN TO FIGHT a very high score because, as a movie, it's just awful. But the fights and stunts that appear frequently throughout are sufficient reason to give it a look--especially if you're an aficionado of either Asian action cinema or really bad movies.

Features:
Languages: Thai (Dolby Digital 2.0 - Stereo - Dual Mono)
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 - Stereo)
Subtitles: English
Full Screen/Stereo/Mono
Interview With Tony Jaa & Panna Rittikrai (16 mins.)
Interview With Producer Chokchai Melewan (4 mins.)
"Fearless Maniacs" Featurette (35 mins.)
"Ong Bak" Spoof (14 mins.)
"Ong Bak" Commercial Spoof (33 secs.)

Buy it at HK Flix
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Sunday, November 15, 2009

BAD MOVIE POLICE DOUBLE FEATURE: ZOMBIE COP & MAXIMUM IMPACT -- DVD review by porfle


Tempe Entertainment hits bad movie fans with their worst shot once again with BAD MOVIE POLICE DOUBLE FEATURE, the fourth in their BMP series which has previously offered such non-hits as GALAXY OF THE DINOSAURS, CHICKBOXER, and HUMANOIDS FROM ATLANTIS. This time we get a double-dose of disaster with a couple of quirky quickies, ZOMBIE COP and MAXIMUM IMPACT, which, depending on your tolerance for no-budget shot-on-video schlock, should have you either giddy with delight or scrambling for the "eject" button.

The two films, which were originally shot in the early 90s with a combined budget of around $5,000, really aren't that bad, and re-releasing them under the "Bad Movie Police" banner seems to be simply a way of making them more appealing by playing up their camp value. Heck, any time someone can take such a small budget and limited resources and manage to make something that resembles an actual movie that is even mildly entertaining, I have to give them credit.

The first film is ZOMBIE COP, which tells the story of two cops, Gill (Michael Kemper) and Stevens (Ken Jarosz), who track down an evil voodoo master named Doctor Death (James Black). Gill and Dr. Death manage to shoot each other, but before he dies Death puts a voodoo curse on Gill which will cause him to rise from the grave and stalk the earth as a zombie.

Gill makes his way to Stevens' apartment and, after a brief "Oh my god, you're supposed to be dead!" exchange, Stevens lends Gill an old cop uniform and some gauze to wrap around his head to make him less conspicuous (!!!) and before you know it, Zombie Cop is on the beat! The partners then go on the prowl for Dr. Death, who has also risen from the grave and is planning to turn a bunch of schoolkids into zombies or something.


Michael Kemper actually looks pretty cool in his Zombie Cop getup and seems to enjoy playing the role, especially when blasting bad guys with his pump shotgun or reciting his catchphrase: "Your rights have been waived!" There's plenty of no-frills action along the way, including a lengthy car chase which is pretty impressive considering that most movies this cheap wouldn't even attempt something like that.

Some of the comedy relief is pretty lame--the towel-headed convenience store clerk who is constantly being robbed, a character inspired by Apu of "The Simpsons", doesn't generate much hilarity--but Dr. Death's panicky, inept henchman Buddy (Bill Morrison) is amusing.

And I really liked this throwaway gag from a TV news report: "Meanwhile in Hollywood news, the proposed new 'Frankie Kroger' movie, that would feature 'One Day At A Time' star Bonnie Franklin as Kroger's mom, has been canned. When asked why, studio officials report that Ms. Franklin's appearance on the screen was...just too scary for the kids."

The second feature in our double-bill is the generically-titled MAXIMUM IMPACT, which also stars Ken Jarosz and James Black. Jarosz is insurance salesman Jerry Handley, who is attending a conference in Cleveland, and Black plays Mr. Huntsacker, an underworld flesh peddler who will be providing the "entertainment." Jerry declines such indulgences, since he's engaged to be married in a month to his fiancee' Jan (Jo Norcia), but his childhood buddy Phil (Scott Emerman) is rarin' to go.

Unfortunately, Phil arrives just as Mr. Huntsacker is looking for someone to star in a snuff film that has been commissioned by a millionaire sicko, and ends up with a gun barrel in his mouth. Jerry witnesses the deed and rescues Tonya (Christine Morrison) who was tricked into doing it. The perturbed Mr. Huntsacker sends a hit squad to Jerry's house and the dirty rats execute Jan right there in front of the Christmas tree. Jerry, who seems to have undergone some kind of extensive military training in the past and happens to have an arsenal full of automatic weapons and grenade launchers in his basement, goes into full-scale revenge mode, with entertaining results.


MAXIMUM IMPACT is a low-fi version of the typical Hollywood action-revenge flick and manages to be pretty entertaining. Ken Jarosz is an okay lead, while James Black delivers the kind of performance that would lead to a successful acting career in films and TV series such as SOLDIER and "Six Feet Under." Bill Morrison returns as Mr. Huntsacker's scarfaced trigger man George, and Michael Cagnoli is pretty amusing as his bumbling toady Bernie. Considering that the budget on this movie was a little over $2,000, it delivers a fair amount of action and suspense along the way.

Both films were directed by Lance Randas and feature many of the same cast and crew. Each one features a lively commentary track with producer J.R. Bookwalter and various other participants. The picture and sound have been newly-remastered for DVD, and if the 90-minute running time listed on IMDb for ZOMBIE COP is correct, it looks as though they've been trimmed a bit, too, since each film here runs barely longer than an hour.

If you demand high production values in your cinematic entertainment, and stories that don't fall apart if you take them seriously, then by all means steer clear of this DVD. Otherwise, you should have a lot of fun with this latest entry in the BAD MOVIE POLICE series. It takes me back to the old days of watching cheapo double-features in my local grungy movie theater, but without the sticky floors.

Buy it at Amazon.com
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

"JENNIFER'S BODY" - On Blu-ray Disc and DVD December 29

SHE’S EVIL… AND NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOL EVIL… MEGAN FOX STARS AS A KILLER CHEERLEADER IN "JENNIFER’S BODY"


Written By Academy Award® Winner* Diablo Cody, The Wickedly Sexy Horror Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD December 29

Featuring An All-New Unrated Extended Cut Too Sexy and Gruesome For Theaters

LOS ANGELES, CA – (November 6, 2009) In every school there’s one girl, every girl wants to be friends with…and every guy would die for. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents a “student body” with a ferocious bite when Jennifer’s Body arrives on unrated Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD December 29. Sexy temptress Megan Fox (Transformers) is hotter than hell as Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader who takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Steamy action and gore galore ensue as the male student body succumbs to Jennifer’s insatiable appetite for human flesh. Now it’s up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried; Mamma Mia!) to stop the demonic diva’s reign of terror before it’s too late!

Fueled by the satiric wit of Oscar®-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno), the sexy horror directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux) features a strong supporting cast of young Hollywood stars including Adam Brody (“The O.C.”), Johnny Simmons (Hotel For Dogs) and Chris Pratt (Bride Wars) as well as J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy”). Killer bonus features include an unrated extended cut packed with more sex and terror in addition to writer and director commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, video diaries, a Megan Fox PSA and much more. Jennifer’s Body will be available on Blu-ray (BD) as a two-disc release featuring a Digital Copy version of the extended cut for the suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S. / $49.99 Canada and available on standard DVD for $29.98 U.S. / $43.48 Canada. Prebook is December 2.

Blu-ray (BD) Features: (Catalog # 2263164)
Disc One
--Theatrical Widescreen Feature Film
--Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody
--Extended Widescreen Version
--Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama
--Deleted Scenes
--Dead Boys (Jennifer Check Is Gross/ Needy Confronts Jennifer/ Who’s Cindy Crawford?/ Needy Faces The Band/ Ass, Gas or Grass…)
--Gag Reel
--Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool
--Video Diaries (Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons/ Amanda Seyfried/ Diablo Cody/ Dan Dubiecki)
--Megan Fox Is HOT
--Megan Fox “Peer Pressure” PSA
--Fox Movie Channel Presents ‘Life After Film School’ With Writer Diablo Cody

Disc Two
--Digital Copy of Jennifer’s Body (Extended Version)

Standard DVD Features: (Catalog #2263151)
--Theatrical Widescreen Feature Film
--Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody
--Extended Widescreen Version
--Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama


About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets -- from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

JENNIFER’S BODY
Street Date: December 29, 2009
Pre-book Date: December 2, 2009
Screen Format: Widescreen – 1.85:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; Spanish, French and Portuguese Dolby Digital with English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai subtitles (Blu-ray (BD))
English 5.1 Dolby Digital; Spanish and French Dolby Surround with English, Spanish and French subtitles (Standard)
Total Run Time: 102 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Closed Captioned: Yes

*2008; Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen; Juno

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

THE OPEN ROAD -- DVD review by porfle

The DVD cover, with a smirking Jeff Bridges and a dweeby-looking Justin Timberlake, makes this look like one of the worst movies ever made, but THE OPEN ROAD (2009) is actually pretty good. This old-fashioned road picture starts out slow and then, surprisingly, it stays slow, but if you settle in and let it grow on you, you'll probably start to like it.

Justin Timberlake is no Luke Perry but he's not bad as Carlton Garrett, a minor-league baseball player who really wants to be a writer but is following in the footsteps of his famous dad, Kyle "Lonestar" Garrett (Jeff Bridges). When Carlton's mom, Katherine (Mary Steenburgen), suddenly needs open-heart surgery, she refuses to go under the knife until her estranged husband Lonestar is at her side for good luck. So Carlton, along with his should-be girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara), goes to a baseball convention in Ohio to fetch him back home to Texas.

The irresponsible Lonestar proves to be a handful, however, and it's hard to get him to commit to anything including actually reaching their destination. During the long, tension-filled road trip (they don't take a plane because--well, it doesn't matter), father and son hash out their differences while Carlton and Lucy sort out the reasons for their non-relationship. It's one of those journeys of discovery you've always heard tell about, and by the time they've taken the circuitous route down to Texas they've had themselves a heap of dramatic confrontations, revelations, and overdue realizations.

If you have to see Justin Timberlake in a movie, it's nice to see him playing a real person, which he does a pretty good job of simulating. In fact, his performance is very nicely low-key and restrained. Kate Mara is very sweet and likable as Lucy and we want to kick Carlton for neglecting her all those years and taking her for granted. Jeff Bridges, of course, could play gruff-but-lovable in his sleep by now, just as Mary Steenburgen can get by simply by dialing up that glowing, crinkly-eyed smile and syrupy voice.

It's nice seeing Harry Dean Stanton pop up all-too-briefly as Carlton's grandfather. Also look for Lyle Lovett as the bartender at the Peabody Hotel and Ted Danson in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo as the manager of Carlton's baseball team. (Danson only has a few lines and, since they're never in the same shot together, it's possible he and Timberlake weren't even in the same vicinity at the time.)

Bridges keeps things amusing with his gregarious and irresponsible character, constantly telling stories and lighting up whenever he's recognized by a fan (usually in a bar). His clashes with the nervous and irritable Carlton during the trip generate some interesting drama although thankfully it's never allowed to get mushy or maudlin. The same goes for Carlton and Lucy's tentative overtures toward each other, which are played with just the right touch of restraint.

When one of the characters does fly off the handle or get emotional, the screenwriter never goes for bathos or cheap sentiment. Thus, the more dramatic twists and turns in the story are easy to take. By the same token, although we get a steady succession of amusing lines and dialogue exchanges involving Bridges' character, nothing's ever played for cheap laughs and there are no blatant attempts at comedy. The story is firmly rooted in reality at all times and is all the more interesting for it.

As director, Michael Meredith gets the job done without drawing attention to himself. He's interested in telling the story well, not impressing us with his artistry. Natural southern locations are well utilized and nicely photographed. The score by Charlie Sexton compliments the action and is augmented by some well-chosen songs.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby surround 5.1 and English and Spanish subtitles. Extras include a commentary with writer-director Michael Meredith and Jeff Bridges, a brief making-of featurette, and trailers.

I thought I would hate this movie but it's surprisingly watchable. Neither a heavy drama nor a silly comedy, THE OPEN ROAD is a pleasantly entertaining odyssey in which a dysfunctional father and son, forced to get to know each other again, learn to become a little more functional.

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QUIET NIGHTS OF BLOOD AND PAIN -- DVD review by porfle


"He's back from the war...but he can't stop killing!" Great tagline, though it doesn't give any hint of the thoughtful intentions underlying the gore in Andrew Copp's no-budget indie feature QUIET NIGHTS OF BLOOD AND PAIN (2009). Nothing wrong with a socially-conscious blood 'n' guts flick, of course, although here the different sensibilities tend to clash.

William (Loren S. Goins) is an Iraq war vet who's suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the horrors he's witnessed and the acts of violence and torture he was made to commit. This, unfortunately, is exacerbated by the fact that he's a raving loon who thinks he's still on a mission to eliminate all terrorists, traitors, and subversives from the streets of Hometown, USA. Meanwhile, Adrienne (co-producer Amanda DeLotelle), another troubled ex-soldier, is struggling with her own inner turmoil while seeking help from a sympathetic Viet Nam vet named Ray (Ray Freeland). After William foils an attempt by two assailants to rape Adrienne in an alley, he begins to stalk her.

DeLotelle is not a polished actress, but she seems to feel the character deeply and has a way of evoking our sympathy. In fact, Adrienne's story is the most interesting part of the movie and she has two or three scenes that are especially effective. DeLotelle's acting style is so unaffected as to seem remarkably natural--in several long takes she's able to hold our attention as she struggles through one emotional ordeal after another.

Goins, on the other hand, has a talent for expressing repressed rage that erupts in either wild screaming jags or swift, brutal violence. Both he and Adrienne are often seen agonizing over their inner demons in the solitude of their bedrooms. While she wakes up crying and contemplates suicide, he has fits of extreme animalistic fury that would give Travis Bickle pause. I like the part where he starts doing pushups and banging his head on the floor with each downstroke.

Andrew Copp is a capable director and this homage to the killer-vet films of yore, which had a total production time of almost two years, looks pretty good considering its budget. (Sound quality not quite so good--some dialogue is hard to make out.) Much of the effectiveness of individual scenes is, of course, largely dependent upon the actors he has to work with. Some are stiff, awkward, and/or just plain bad. Others get the job done well enough. Filmmaker and "Freak Forum" podcast host Henrique Couto gives a particularly realistic performance in his short role as a janitor being waterboarded to "confess" by William. I also liked Juliet Fromholt as the girl at the bus stop who, in a nicely-done scene, clumsily tries to engage William in a conversation about the war.

There's not much to the story besides showing us the lives of two emotionally-devastated but very different war veterans who eventually cross paths with tragic results. Copp's portrayal of their difficulty in fitting back into society after doing their duty is most effective when we see for ourselves the pain Adrienne and William are going through, and much less so via bland speechifying such as the kind heard at Ray's group counseling meetings or his private chats with Adrienne. The seemingly wise Ray's use of mind-altering drugs to help Adrienne find her "spirit guide" seems a little ill-advised, although this does lead to a pretty nifty hallucination sequence.

These "message movie" segments alternate with the splatter flick that QUIET NIGHTS also wants to be, and somehow it's not as interesting. In relatively tame scenes, we see William eliminating some war protesters and a couple of bookstore clerks displaying "subversive" titles, and in the main setpiece, he breaks into the house of a couple with "MoveOn.org" bumperstickers on their car, ties them up, screams at them, and then dispatches them. Eventually, William gets it into his head that Adrienne has somehow betrayed her country and must be punished, and it's here that the bloody violence finally has some real impact. By the final shot and abrupt fadeout, the film has definitely made an impression.

Some of the wound makeup is good, especially the blood-spurting throat gashes, and there's a really effective burn makeup in the scene with William being negatively influenced by his deranged Gulf War-veteran brother Daniel (Copp). A disemboweling during the home invasion scene is distractingly less successful.

The movie was shot using a Panasonic DV-30 with an aspect ratio of 1.33. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, a lengthy look at Copp's dark graphic art during a gallery exhibition, and trailers for this and three other Copp films.

As with most indie filmmaking on this budget level, the appeal comes from seeing how much the filmmakers are able to accomplish with so little to work with. If barebones production values and largely non-professional actors are a problem, you won't want to go near this. If not, however, then you may find it interesting to watch. With QUIET NIGHTS OF BLOOD AND PAIN, the gore is the least relevant factor while the characters are interesting and even a little moving.

Buy it at Coppfilms.com

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

SPREAD -- DVD review by porfle

I'm going to make a shocking admission: I haven't been following Ashton Kutcher's career very closely lately. So when I saw the DVD cover for SPREAD (2009), I thought: "A movie about sports gambling? Deviled ham? Proctology?"

Actually, a lot of it is about just what you might think, you naughty people, but what it really means is the kind of easy-livin' set-up (as in, "nice spread") a narcissistic young hustler like Nikki (Kutcher) manages to finagle himself into by sweet-talking a rich single woman like Samantha (Anne Heche) into being his sugar mama.

Sam can't resist this cute boytoy who can service her like a sex machine while also playing on her maternal instincts. Nikki uses her credit cards, her material possessions, and her willing body till the wheels come off. But when Nikki falls for a beautiful girl named Heather (newcomer Margarita Levieva) who's just as much of a player as he is, all of his usual tricks backfire on him. Sam finally gets fed up with Nikki's constant promiscuity and kicks him out, leaving him homeless. When he tries to have a real, meaningful relationship with Heather, he finds that he's unable to give her what she's really looking for. Moral: two hustlers can't get anywhere hustling each other.

SPREAD isn't a comedy but it's light on the drama, too. The story's involving enough to keep us interested without engaging us all that much on an emotional level. This fits Ashton Kutcher's acting style since it doesn't go very deep--he manages to look pained when called upon to express anguish or despair, but that's about it. He's at his best when strutting about being irresistible to women or pumping away during the pneumatic, unromanticised sex scenes.

Nikki's opening narration tells us about all the thousands of pretty young hopefuls like himself who pour into L.A. every day looking to make it big. He's not interested in being a movie star, though, just living the good life--or rather, moving in on someone else's. With Samantha, he gets to lounge around the pool all day or have parties in her mansion when she's away, managing to have sex practically every time he turns around. We just know this isn't going to last.

These early scenes are like a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the viewer as we see Nikki coast past long lines into exclusive clubs and breeze through parties being a babe-magnet. He shares his secrets of romantic success with us, but the catch is that you have to look like Ashton Kutcher in order for them to work. As for me, I don't think they'd get me past the opening credits.

Anne Heche is holding up well these days and seems to have fallen off the lesbian wagon for good. We can't really sympathize too much with her character since Sam is good-looking, extremely wealthy, and able to attract guys like Nikki just by flashing her American Express card in public. Margarita Levieva is good as Heather, the mysterious object of Nikki's desire who stokes his interest by playing hard-to-get and then keeps him in the dark about whether or not she'll settle for him or continue to pursue romance in a higher tax bracket. Sebastian Stan (THE EDUCATION OF CHARLIE BANKS) plays Harry, Nikki's sometime-roommate upon whom he depends when things get rotten. Look for Maria Conchita Alonso in a small role as a wealthy matron.

Director David Mackenzie manages to make Jason Dean Hall's lean, straightforward script look pretty good. There are way too many songs on the soundtrack, though--I hate it when every emotional moment instantly sparks yet another sappy emo ballad to tell us how we're supposed to feel.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby surround 5.1. English and Spanish subtitles are available. Extras include three featurettes--"Living the Dream: The Making of SPREAD", "The World According to Nikki", and "Behind the Scenes with Ashton Kutcher"--a commentary track with Kutcher, Heche, and Levieva, and a trailer.

Fairly effective on a superficial level, SPREAD isn't all that different from a lot of softcore DTV flicks with similar themes but manages to rise above them with a capable cast, good production values, and a director who knows how to move the camera. Definitely not essential viewing, but I did find it to be a pleasant enough diversion.

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SCARLET: THE FILM MAGAZINE #3 -- review by porfle


If you were a reader of the late Richard Valley's "Scarlet Street" magazine then chances are you'll want to check out its successor, SCARLET: THE FILM MAGAZINE. And even if you never heard of Valley's long-running journal of all things fantastic and horrific, but are a serious classic movie fan with a desire for in-depth coverage, SCARLET is a worthy effort which definitely merits your attention.

It's taken me awhile to get around to reviewing it because this isn't the kind of magazine you just breeze through. While lavishly illustrated, there's no filler or extra-large print to make you think you're getting more than you are, and no puff pieces. There's enough information and insight here to keep the average reader engrossed for days.

As publisher Kevin G. Shinnick relates in his opening comments, issue #3 (Spring 2009) of SCARLET turned out to be somewhat of a tribute issue due to the passing of Forrest J. Ackerman, Robert Quarry, and Linda Miller. Ken Hanke's "Farewell to the Master" explores the ways in which Uncle Forry's "Famous Monsters of Filmland" introduced young fans to horror and sci-fi films in a relatively impartial manner, encouraging us to form our own opinions as our critical sensibilities matured. This is augmented by reminiscences by Joe Moe, Angus Scrimm, Carla Laemmle, and others.

Joe Moe, Tim Sullivan, and Fred Olen Ray offer their thoughts on the passing of Robert "Count Yorga" Quarry, who died at the age of 83. Artist Linda Miller is remembered by her friend Max Cheney (aka The Drunken Severed Head) in a fond tribute featuring several of her beautiful paintings from classic horror films. Especially intriguing is Linda's imagining of the death of Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) in the original ending to BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

David Skal and Jessica Rains' "Mr. Rains Goes to Burbank" is the latest chapter in their continuing saga of the great Claude Rains and his distinguished film career. "Vampires and Space Probes and Snails...Oh, My!" is Lelia Loban's detailed look at the little-seen classic RETURN OF DRACULA with Francis Lederer and the Sputnik-inspired sci-fi quickie THE FLAME BARRIER.

With "The Cross and the Cauldron", Paul Leggett offers a thoughtful examination of the interaction of horror and Christianity over the years. Scott Essman's interesting interview with Elias Merhige about his surreal film THE BEGOTTEN succeeds in making me want to see it as soon as possible. Likewise with Ken Hanke's article on the film adaption of Clive Barker's MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN with Vinnie Jones (one of my favorite actors, dammit) and Ted Raimi.

"But wait--there's more!" as they say in all our favorite infomercials, and indeed this issue is generously stuffed with dozens of reviews of films, books, and music to pique the interest of your typical horror/ fantasy/ sci-fi/ mystery fan. And since that's pretty much what I am, SCARLET: THE FILM MAGAZINE #3 piqued me to pieces.

To order, send check or money order (made out to the magazine) for $8.95 to

SCARLET THE FILM MAGAZINE
PO BOX 2092
CLEONA, PA 17042-2092

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Friday, November 6, 2009

Just Announced - "STAR TREK: The Original Series" Season 3 on Blu-ray December 15 from CBS and Paramount Home Entertainment



NEVER BEFORE RELEASED ALTERNATE VERSION OF
STAR TREK PILOT TO DEBUT ON BLU-RAY


Unearthed After 40 Years, The Episode Anchors Bonus Features Of
STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SEASON THREE Blu-Ray Release
On Sale December 15


HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (November 6, 2009) - An unaired alternative version of the original STAR TREK pilot, found after 40 years, will be available to the public for sale for the first time ever as part of the STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SEASON THREE Blu-ray disc collection.

The newly discovered version of the original pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," includes an alternative monologue by William Shatner, as well as different theme music and closing credits. It is presented in three parts with 1970s-style act breaks and was obtained from Magic Picture Home Entertainment GmbH. The Blu-ray set will be released on December 15 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment.

Featuring all 24 episodes of the legendary third season, the six-disc set is presented in pristine 7.1 DTS-HD Master audio and superior picture quality offering the best possible home viewing experience. The BD-Live enabled discs also offer seamless branching allowing fans to toggle between watching these classic episodes as they were originally broadcast, or the newly remastered versions with enhanced special effects and sound for the best of both worlds. Also, every disc is Mobile BluTM enabled. Once downloaded, Mobile BluTM allows fans to turn their iPhones and iPod Touchs into Blu-ray player remote controls and download content for on-the-go entertainment.

In addition to the alternate version of the show's original pilot and interaction via BD-Live, the set includes new featurettes from Star Trek-themed panels at ComicCon International 2009 including "The Anthropology of Star Trek" and "The World of Rod Roddenberry," plus a 20-minute piece hosted by David Gerrold, the writer behind the classic episode "The Trouble With Tribbles."

Premiering in 1966, STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES aired for three seasons and launched a worldwide phenomenon for numerous television series and feature films that continues today. The series starred one of the most pivotal casts in television history including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig.


STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SEASON THREE BLU-RAY will be available for the suggested retail price of $118.99 US and $136.99 CAN. The set is presented in the original 4:3 aspect ratio with English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Original 2.0 Mono, Spanish 2.0 Mono and French 2.0 Mono sound. The DVD is not rated in the U.S. and rated G in Canada. The total running time is 22 Hrs., 31 Min. The breakdown is as follows:

Disc One:
Spock's Brain
The Enterprise Incident
The Paradise Syndrome
And the Children Shall Lead
Is There In Truth No Beauty?
Special Features:
Preview trailers for each episode
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled

Disc Two:
Spectre of the Gun
Day of the Dove
For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
The Tholian Web
Plato's Stepchildren
Special Features:
Preview trailers for each episode
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled

Disc Three:
Wink of an Eye
The Empath
Elaan of Troyius
Whom Gods Destroy
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
Special Features:
Preview trailers for each episode
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled

Disc Four:
The Mark of Gideon
That Which Survives
The Lights of Zetar
Requiem for Methuselah
The Way to Eden
Special Features:
Preview trailers for each episode
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled

Disc Five:
The Cloud Minders
The Savage Curtain
All Our Yesterdays
Turnabout Intruder
Special Features:
Preview trailers for each episode
Life Beyond Trek: Walter Koenig
Chief Engineer's Log
Memoir From Mr. Sulu
Captain's Log: Bob Justman
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled

Disc Six:
The Cage
The Cage (Extended Version)
Special Features:
Where No Man Has Gone Before (The Unaired Alternate Version of the Pilot)
David Gerrold Hosts "2009 Convention Coverage"
"The Anthropology of Star Trek" Comic-Con Panel 2009
"The World of Rod Roddenberry" Comic-Con 2009
Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
Part 3
"To Boldly Go..." Season Three
Collectible Trek
Star Trek's Impact
BD Live enabled, Mobile-Blu™ enabled


CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD business for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD label.

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Studios, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3 Blu-Ray
Street Date: December 15, 2009
Pricing: $118.99 US/ $136.99 CAN
Catalog #: 074354
Runtime: 22 Hrs., 31 Min.
U.S. Rating: NR
Canadian Rating: G

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