Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

There may be just a couple of groan-inducingly dreadful lines in the script – although there’s never anything as heinous as ‘I know he’s the hero of Star Wars, but who exactly is this Kirk person?’ in any of the scenes featuring Dakota Fanning’s Wendy herself – and Michael Golamco’s adaptation of his own stage play might be as manipulative and mostly as predictable as a Channel 5 TV movie, but those turn out to be very minor shortcomings and Please Stand By easily transcends any criticism you could raise in its sensitive, analogous and life-affirming portrayal of an autistic girl on a mission.

Fanning’s mission is to boldly go where Wendy has never gone before; having missed the last posting date she has two days to deliver her 427-page Star Trek screenplay to Paramount in person, if she wants to win their fiftieth anniversary scriptwriting competition. Trouble is, Paramount’s headquarters are on the other side of Market Street – 240 miles on the other side, as it happens – a road she’s been forbidden from ever crossing. Will she make it in time? And will she go on to win the competition?

From the start, Ben Lewin’s film proves its worth with its quietly attentive and mostly authentic depiction of Wendy’s condition, save for a few concessions it necessarily makes to its audience and its ninety-minute running time. This is no Rain Man, ostentatiously gunning for Oscar; rather, Wendy – in a relatively similar place on the spectrum to the one inhabited by Dustin Hoffman – manages a modicum of interaction with the people around her, and is aware enough of her environment to have found something to connect with, that illuminates her situation and provides her with both a focus and a goal.

That something is of course Star Trek, although Golamco keeps it far enough from centre-stage not to be off-putting to anyone who’s not a fan – bringing it back in during a series of sequences in the final third such that you’ll find yourself cheering the kind of people who think there’s nothing unusual in learning Klingon as a second language. Indeed, despite that the rest of Lewin’s film is low-key enough not to seem needlessly setting itself up to tug at your emotions, the last twenty minutes manage to cross every bridge Golamco builds without feeling remotely clichéd or calculating.

It’s quite an achievement, with the invisibly subtle use of sound and music immersing you in Wendy’s world as soon as her journey begins. This might be unrealistically innocuous at times, perhaps too shy of showing some of the real challenges she would have faced, but in terms of balancing insight and entertainment without being either preachy or crass, this is consummately well-judged.

PLEASE STAND BY / CERT: M (AUS) / DIRECTOR: BEN LEWIN / SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL GOLAMCO / STARRING: DAKOTA FANNING, TONI COLETTE, ALICE EVE, RIVER ALEXANDER, BLASTER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Loosely based on a 1981 novel by Craig Harrison, The Quiet Earth is the story of a man waking up to find that he is the only person left on Earth. Well, that’s what he assumes, because the radio is dead, no-one’s answering any telephones, and there’s nobody to be seen anywhere around the New Zealand city where he lives. Something has happened, and it may have something to do with the strange scientific experiment he and his colleagues were part of at the lab where they worked…

Co-scripted by its star, Bruno Lawrence, the first half of the film is an exploration of what it means to be truly alone and what that can do to a man. Then, as you might guess by the presence of other actors in the film, other people appear and, because we are human beings and therefore a terrible species, things change and not always for the better.

Lawrence is compelling, and as a balding, middle-aged man is a refreshing lead for a movie that, if made in Hollywood now, would star Will Smith, Tom Cruise, or whoever the hot, young, brooding leading man of the hour happens to be. His co-stars are similarly flawed, and the result is a real sense that this could happen to any of us. Of course, at the time it was made, the threat of nuclear destruction was still very real, and although what happens to cause Lawrence’s situation isn’t the result of an escalation of tensions between the superpowers, it’s very easy to see this as an allegory. Indeed, further into the movie, there’s a definite flavour of the creation of the atom bomb, and particularly J Robert Oppenheimer’s guilt at his creation.

It’s no surprise that this remains a cult classic (pop-scientist Neil deGrasse-Tyson describes it as one of his favourite science-fiction films of all time) and although the cars and fashions look dated, the movie has aged very well; Geoff Murphy’s direction is close in feeling and style to the films of contemporary masters Yorgos Lanthimos and Ben Wheatley. The ending may leave you scratching your head, although the commentary from writer-producer Sam Pillsbury is very clear on what happens, and leaves you wistful that there was no sequel. Lawrence died in 1995 but surely it’s not too late?

Special features: Producer’s Commentary, Theatrical trailer, Restoration trailer

THE QUIET MAN / CERT: M (AUS) / DIRECTOR: GEOFF MURPHY / SCREENPLAY: BILL BAER, BRUNO LAWRENCE, SAM PILLSBURY / STARRING: BRUNO LAWRENCE, ALISON ROUTLEDGE, PETE SMITH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

CG-animated kid’s films are a hugely expensive undertaking, and a massive risk for the studios involved. So when one catches the imagination in the way the first Hotel Transylvania did, it’s little wonder Sony Pictures will treat the series as an ongoing safe bet. After all, that’s how you subsidise the rest of your roster when you don’t have quite the clout of a Disney – and it’s why DreamWorks are now on their fifth Shrek film, with two spin-offs, eight shorts, two TV specials and a couple of television series rounding out the franchise. The question isn’t whether to do more, but wither the inspiration to extend the narrative will come from.

For Hotel Transylvania 3, director and co-writer Genndy Tartakovsky has packed his regular characters off on their holidays. Now that might seem insane, as after all the regular characters are already running a hotel, so what’s the big deal with sticking them all on a cruise ship instead? The answer’s simple; it allows Tartakovsky to remove his characters from their comfort zone, while keeping his rather young audience firmly in their own. In fact, the benefits are twofold, because one of the main attractions of the CG animation business, is in seeing new worlds being created on the screen; a holiday cruise is the perfect excuse for a sort of ocean-going road trip, complete with as many new destinations as the budget can afford.

Does it work, then? Yes, totally. The Hotel Transylvania films have never been as much about narrative as Pixar’s, rather being gag-fests with a thin plot-structure to hang the jokes on. And that’s what you get here; there’s a bit of a story about Dracula’s daughter Mavis sending him – and all his friends – on vacation, after she suspects him of overdoing things, only for it to turn out that the cruise they end up taking is being captained by Van Helsing’s great-granddaughter. So there’s your peril, and there’s your transport between one comedy and/or dance routine and the next.

And it’s all very, very funny – for every gag that misses its mark, there are about three that hit it squarely in the face (and the addition of the Count’s grandson’s pet puppy is a stroke of inspiration) – but equally slight. The whole thing hinges on a particularly obvious but nevertheless quite satisfying love story, and the music and visuals are designed to keep even the giddiest small person firmly engaged. If you’re an Adam Sandler-phobe, you might find the voice work irritating (the rest of the cast is made up of Sandler-philes, pretty much – and Mel Brooks) but to be honest, if you didn’t know it was him you wouldn’t know it was him.

There’s the usual smorgasbord of extras kid’s films serve up these days, including the short film that introduced the aforementioned puppy. This isn’t the finest Hotel Transylvania, but it’s considerably better than adequate and will no doubt turn up in a lot of Christmas stockings this year. It won’t disappoint.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY / SCREENPLAY: GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY, MICHAEL McCULLERS / STARRING: ADAM SANDLER, ANDY SAMBERG, SELENA GOMEZ, KEVIN JAMES, DAVID SPADE, STEVE BUSCEMI, KATHRYN HAHN, FRAN DRESCHER, MEL BROOKS / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 3RD

Right now, we’re in the midst of several John Carpenter classics getting new 4K Ultra HD releases. And let’s face it, that’s most certainly a good thing because, well, because any chance to revisit the Horror Master is always appreciated. Next up then, it’s time to take a look at Studio Canal’s new release of 1987’s Prince of Darkness.

Front and centre in Prince of Darkness, we have Donald Pleasence as a priest who becomes engulfed in a plot based around the purest of pure evil. You see, in a church basement there’s a canister full of an eerie green liquid that is essential Satan himself. In need of assistance, Pleasance’s priest – who is only ever referred to as, err, Priest – seeks the help of Howard Birack (Victor Wong), a quantum physics professor who also has a batch of students available to help out in this unique investigation. Throw in a secret sect, the interesting use of the local homeless community, mirrors that house portals, and elements of social commentary on the AIDS epidemic of the time, and you have a movie that is one of Carpenter’s most bizarre.

If we’re being honest, Prince of Darkness is, at times, an uneven picture that maybe loses itself a little as the final third commences. With that in mind, however, there are so many great facets to this film. First and foremost, Donald Pleasence is on electric form at his manic best. To us, there are very few sights in genre cinema as marvellous as seeing Pleasence delivering an intense, slightly erratic monologue, and he gets plenty to sink his teeth into here. Similarly, some of the horror sequence are grotesque in the best possible way, particularly for those with a penchant for body horror. Out of all of Carpenter’s films, Prince of Darkness is likely his most extreme in terms of shocking visuals, but there is still the masterful Carpenter tension at play as the picture unravels.

With clear inspiration from the Quatermass series – not least in how Carpenter credits himself as Martin Quatermass where the screenwriting credit is concerned – we get a grim and relentless film that essentially sees the end of the world being rang in before our very eyes. To be precise, this is the second of Carpenter’s “Apocalypse Trilogy” that also contains The Thing and In the Mouth of Madness. Here, hope is gone, evil has a firm grip on proceedings, and Alice Cooper is ominously shuffling towards our protagonists. Bar Pleasence’s Priest, though, you may find yourself struggling to really get behind any of the other characters who are faced with this most grim of scenarios. The terror and tension displayed is classic Carpenter, but it’s just at times things verge a little on the cheesy given the ambitious, outrageous narrative of the film, and some of the key characters end up as instantly forgettable.

For this new release, there are a whole bunch of added material and, of course, the brand new 4K restoration. Visually, the film clearly looks better than it ever has, and it’s testament to Kevin Quibelll just how well the SFX of the day hold up over 30 years later. A large percentage of the special features seen on this new release have been featured on previous releases of Prince of Darkness, but they are still just as enjoyable today as they’ve ever been – and let’s face it, a chat track from John Carpenter never gets old. One noticeable new piece of material on show, mind, is the Malevolent documentary that is a fascinating look back at the movie, its production, and its legacy.

All in all, Prince of Darkness isn’t in the top echelon of Carpenter films, but it’s still a taut, terrifying affair anchored by a tour de force performance from Donald Pleasence. Added to that, the 4K transfer and the plentiful bonus content make this a hugely appealing purchase for fans of the iconic Horror Master.

And while we’re got your attention, the 4K restoration of Prince of Darkness is screening at cinemas around the country. For full details on when and where Prince of Darkness, They Live, The Fog, and Escape from New York are playing, be sure to head on over to https://www.johncarpenter4k.co.uk.

Special Features: Audio commentary / Brand new Malevolent: Unearthing John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness documentary / Interview with John Carpenter / Intro by John Carpenter / Scene analysis by John Carpenter / Horror’s Halloween Hallowed Grounds with Sean Clark / Behind the scenes / Photo gallery / Trailer

PRINCE OF DARKNESS – 4K ULTRA HD / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JOHN CARPENTER / STARRING: DONALD PLEASENCE, LISA BLOUNT, VICTOR WONG, DIRK BLOCKER, JAMESON PARKER, DENNIS DUN / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 26TH

While Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo is currently gearing up for a fifth (and supposedly final?) outing, the first three entries in the Rambo franchise have been given some swanky new 4K Ultra HD releases. Having already taken a look at Rambo: First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II, then, let’s sink our teeth into the new release of the oft-maligned Rambo III.

Plot-wise, we pick things up with Richard Crenna’s Col. Sam Trautman again looking to enlist Rambo for a mission that most logical, sensible sorts would promptly say no to. This is no logical, sensible sort, mind, for this is John Rambo, which means his answer to Trautman is a resounding… err, no?! Yes, Rambo initially turns down Troutman’s plea to join him in tackling some nefarious Russians in Afghanistan. And thus, Trautman goes solo and ends up swiftly captured and tortured. But wait, what’s that mullet-adorned silhouette on the horizon? Of course, that’s John Rambo swooping in to save the day. From there, the stage is set for one of the most ‘80s-tastic ‘80s actioners out there.

Rambo: First Blood may have been layered in political points geared towards the fallout from the Vietnam War, and Rambo: First Blood Part II went for a more action-heavy slant, but Rambo III goes all-in on machismo to the point of parody. We have bigger muscles, bigger explosions, and, of course, bigger hair as Stallone again finds himself involved in the dick-measuring contest of the ‘80s and early ‘90s that saw the likes of Sly, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis trying to outdo each other on the action front.

The thing is, while some of those names largely had to rely on brawn and body count, Stallone’s strength has always been in his actual acting. With the first few Rocky movies and that first Rambo picture, Sly proved what a stunning talent he can be when given more to do than simply spout one-liners, have intense close-ups of his impressive physique, and blow shit up. Sadly, Rambo III is very much a prime example of Stallone at his worst, and it’s no surprise to look back at history and see how this was a film that played a part in the fall from grace of Stallone. Audiences were beginning to get tired on action movies by the time of Rambo III’s release in 1988, yet Rambo III still rode the action train hard.

To be fair, Rambo III isn’t totally awful, for there are some moments that shine and, in hindsight, can be enjoyed simply for what they are: mindless, muscle-bound spectacle. This threequel is entertaining at points, but it’s by far the weakest entry in the Rambo franchise to date. Here we have a film that tries to take itself seriously, but utterly fails due to how outright ridiculous so much of the content on display is – hence why it plays as much as a parody as it does its own movie.

With that said, you’re likely already well aware of Rambo III and its shortcomings, so let’s get to the rest of this release. Firstly, the 4K restoration is good if not great. For some reason, this 4K transfer doesn’t quite feel as stunning as the 4K treatment given to Rambo: First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II, yet it’s still obviously an upgrade on the other releases of Rambo III we’ve seen so far. Where the special features and bonus content are concerned, the highlight is again the Rambo Takes the ‘80s input. Across the new releases of the first three Rambo efforts, Rambo Takes the ‘80s has proved to be an engaging, entertaining watch, and that is once more the case here.

Taking all of that into account, is Rambo III in 4K Ultra HD worth shilling out for? Let’s just say it’s one for the completists, or maybe one for those curious as to how ludicrous the ‘80s action landscape eventually became.

Special Features: Audio commentary with Peter MacDonald / Rambo Takes the ‘80s Part 3 / Interview with Sylvester Stallone / Eight featurettes / How to Become Rambo Part 3 / Alternate beginning / Deleted scenes / Original TV spots / Original trailer

RAMBO III – 4K ULTRA HD / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: PETER MACDONALD / SCREENPLAY: SHELDON LETTICH, SYLVESTER STALLONE / STARRING: SYLVESTER STALLONE, RICHARD CRENNA, KURTWOOD SMITH, MARC DE JONGE, SASSON GABAI / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The year is 1997. The whole of New York is one giant walled-off prison, the president has been taken hostage and it’s up to rugged anti-hero Snake Plissken to save the day. The catch is that he’s got a bomb implanted inside him, and if he doesn’t get the president out safely in the next 24 hours, he goes boom! It’s been nearly 40 years since John Carpenter’s Escape From New York burst onto our screens, and even now it still holds up as a cult masterpiece thanks to its dark humour, building suspense and great characters.

Carpenter’s vision of a future where America has thrown all of its criminals into one island where they are free to create their own society, complete with their own set of rules and authority, has to be one of the most adroit and unique piece of world-building yet realised on film. This dystopian New York is dark and grim with the seedy and corrupt of society all collected together in this desolate and bleak place of class separation where danger lurks around every corner. On a minimal budget, Carpenter has created a perfectly-crafted nightmarish fascist world that also contains a subtle satirical edge to it, and hats off to Joe Alves for his flawless production design. Frankly, it would come as no surprise if Rocksteady Games took that concept and utilised it in their Batman: Arkham City game! The film goes at a brisk pace and the dark atmosphere helps generate that sense of mystery, intrigue, isolation, and destruction.

Central protagonist Snake Plissken is the traditional anti-hero, akin to Clint Eastwood’s Man-With-No-Name archetype, and is a walking ball of rage that is dead-set on survival at all cost. This is a man who fought for his country but has everything taken away from him in return, so he decided to take it back. Now, he’s on a mission to save a man he doesn’t care about, just so he can survive the bomb implanted in him by the government that is responsible for sending him on what is basically a suicide mission. Plissken is superbly portrayed by the legendary Kurt Russell, being able to convey a lot with little dialogue as well as giving off a suitably menacing and somewhat sardonic quality that makes him the perfect, grumpy badass to root for.

Escape From New York is a timeless cult classic and is up there with Halloween and The Thing as one of John Carpenter’s best movies to date. That dirty netherworld of crime is realised brilliantly, the pacing is tight, the narrative is taut, and the characters are memorable, especially Kurt Russell’s pitch perfect Snake. People were curious as to what this movie would’ve looked like had it received a bigger budget, but Carpenter responded to those queries with the infamous Escape From L.A., a film Carpenter himself claimed was better than the original, but in actuality was a film that was so bad that it was hilarious. By having a lower budget, it allowed the production team to be more creative and inventive within their limitations, and the results speak for themselves. With the film getting a Ultra HD 4K release very soon, now is the perfect time to give this gem a spin.

Extras: Purgatory: Entering John Carpenter’s Escape From New York documentary, Snake Plissken: Man of Honor, Deleted Opening Sequence, Photo gallery, Original Trailers, Audio Commentary with Kurt Russell and John Carpenter, Audio Commentary with Debra Hill and Joe Alves, Big Challenges in Little Manhattan (visual effects featurette), I Am Taylor (interview with Joe Unger), Audio Commentary with Adrienne Barbeau & Dean Cundey, poster, art cards, 48-page book.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHN CARPENTER / SCREENPLAY: JOHN CARPENTER, NICK CASTLE / STARRING: KURT RUSSELL, LEE VAN CLEEF, ERNEST BORGNINE, DONALD PLEASENCE / RELEASE DATE: 28TH NOVEMBER

Following the success of 1982’s impressive Rambo: First Blood, 1985 saw Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo brought back to screens with Rambo: First Blood Part II. And now, much like two other Rambo efforts, First Blood Part II has received the 4K Ultra HD treatment.

Plot-wise, Rambo II see Sly’s Vietnam vet thrust back into the fire. Having been locked up in a hellhole environment following his antics in the first movie, we pick things up as Richard Crenna’s Col. Trautman offers Rambo a way out. That way out? It’s to take on a return mission to Vietnam in order to track down some surviving prisoners of war. And of course, there’s a few nefarious twists along the way as Rambo finds himself back in the environment in which he most thrives.

Given the landscape of the times when Rambo: First Blood Part II was released, this is a film that sums up the action genre perfectly. Whilst the first Rambo picture had a political skew to it, here we see that element put firmly in the background as action, action, action steps to the fore. That original film is often lazily viewed as being about bulging biceps and explosions, but it is far much more than that. Here, mind, First Blood Part II does indeed fall back on muscles and moments of ‘80s machismo for the most part. That’s not to say it’s not an enjoyable movie, and Charles Napier makes for a thorough bastard of a bad guy at the core of the follow-up’s plot, but this is a sequel that was clearly more about the dick-measuring contest going on between the heavy-hitting action stars of the time.

Rambo: First Blood Part II is as subtle as an exploding arrow to the head, with a ridiculous body count amassed as John Rambo does what he was born to do. It almost feels as if this takes everything that First Blood did so well to restrict, and just throws it all at the audience double-fold. To the point where elements of the movie begin to verge on parody. And then there’s the political elements at play, with First Blood Part II brimming with “America, fuck yeah!” tropes that were bizarrely mirrored in real life by Ronald Reagan back then – the then-US President stating, “After seeing ‘Rambo’ last night, I know what to do the next time this happens” in regards to a hostage rescue.

Much like the recent 4K UHD releases of Rambo: First Blood and Rambo III, this new release of Rambo: First Blood Part II is an absolutely crammed release that visually bursts from the screen in a mass of muscles, massacre, and mullets. The new 4K restoration is a belter, and it serves to further beef up the action-heavy skew that this sequel takes in relative comparison to the more political approach of its predecessor. And as for the bonus material, it’s the second part of the Rambo Takes the ‘80s featurette that’s the star of the show. The other material included here is all taken from previous releases, bar the How to Become Rambo fitness discussion, and the sheer volume of content makes this a release that really is a must-have for Stallone and Rambo fans.

If that rings true for yourself, this is most definitely something to add to your collection. For others, this could well just be seen as a slightly spruced up cash-in on one of the ‘80s most macho, quotable and destructive film.

Special Features: Audio commentary with George P. Cosmatos / Rambo Takes the ‘80s Part 2 / How to Become Rambo Part 2 / The Restoration / Four featurettes / Interviews / Behind the scenes / Original TV spots / Original trailer

RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II – 4K ULTRA HD / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: GEORGE P. COSMATOS / SCREENPLAY: JAMES CAMERON, SYLVESTER STALLONE / STARRING: SYLVESTER STALLONE, RICHARD CRENNA, CHARLES NAPIER, JULIA NICKSON, STEVEN BERKOFF / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The Big Apple has a problem – and it’s not street crime, congestion or Donald Trump. A plane lands at JFK airport with no further contact being made with the control tower. Dr Ephraim Goodweather investigates on behalf of the Centre for Disease Control, finding only four survivors. The four appear initially to be healthy and are released against Dr Goodweather’s advice… but that’s when everything hits the fan.

They are carrying a deadly vampiric virus, transmitted by translucent worms that burrow under the skin, infecting the bloodstream, mutating the host into a feral, ravenous monster, seeking blood which they will take through a retractable tentacle that shoots out of their mouths. These aren’t your Twilight “scampering through the trees, glowing, teen angst ridden” vampires – these are hungry predators who prey on their loved ones out of instinct. And, as they change, they look more like Max Shreck’s Nosferatu than Robert Pattinson. Thankfully.

The virus spreads quickly throughout the city, and the sinister reason for its sudden arrival becomes clear as Goodweather finds some unlikely allies in his battle against the increasing army of vampires. Chief among them is beloved British actor David Bradley as a Jewish pawn shop broker who has encountered this evil before while incarcerated in a Nazi concentration camp, and is now dedicating his remaining years to eradicating it, like a modern-day Van Helsing. Although in this case, substitute Count Dracula for a vampire leader called The Master. Yes, we know that’s been done before in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but this Master is truly the stuff of nightmares and is tougher to kill than you’d expect.

As a horror series, this is one of the best, with its 46-episode run being just long enough to tell the whole story without succumbing to padding or outstaying its welcome, unlike The Walking Dead. There is a real sense of urgency and mounting dread as the series unfolds. It never slows down, it never lets up. The creator behind this gem is, of course, no stranger to horror fans – Guillermo Del Toro, who lent his immense directorial talents to the pilot episode, and served as executive producer throughout the series, having co-written the trilogy of books that started it all with Chuck Hogan.

Included in this box set are all 46 episodes, along with the usual array of behind the scenes documentaries, the odd audio commentary, deleted scenes and a gag reel. Of particular interest to those of us who are completists is the inclusion of all ten webisodes of The Strain: Under Siege, the short companion series.

THE STRAIN / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: VARIOUS / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: COREY STOLL, KEVIN DURLAND, DAVID BRADLEY, RICHARD SAMMEL / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW