Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

There’s something horribly hypocritical about the so-called “hipster” movement, that while it venerates the artefacts and techniques of the past, also screams “cool!”, “modern!” and “liberal!” from its every pore. It’s a trend that idolises the individual over the environment, and that fetishises a lack of accomplishment, spurning advances in science and technology (while secretly utilising them to achieve its aims) in order to celebrate a kind of ostentatious mediocrity. It feigns to be intelligent and enlightened, while being instead intolerant and deeply conservative in nature.

With a title like My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, it’s no surprise to discover that Dash Shaw’s debut feature is as arrogant and lacking in self-awareness as it is stifled by being a product of its developmentally arrested High School philosophising. Which isn’t to say that Shaw is unaware of what the criticisms of this film will be, rather that he attempts to claim superiority over any such opinions by flagging them up in his script, only to have the self-named protagonist Dash deflect them by, get this, repeating them – and without having learned anything from the experience. It’s the kind of egotism that understands concepts but not their concomitant application in real life. Hipsterism in a nutshell.

In a plot that does score some political points – albeit undermining them by promoting its nerdish, intellectual underdogs over the “jock”, a euphemism for those who go out and achieve rather than simply being content to sneer at the achievements of others – a reporter on the school newspaper discovers that the principal has concealed his under-investment by faking a safety report, and that Tides High is in danger of falling into the sea. Which is, of course, exactly what happens.

The rest of the movie falls into the trap of essentially aping The Poseidon Adventure on the budget of an amateur YouTube upload – which is basically exactly what this is, a muddled extended video that outstays its welcome long before it gives you enough reason to care about its characters’ predicament. The animation, such as it is, is as likely to provoke either headaches or bemusement in any viewer who isn’t already versed in Shaw’s comic-book stylings prior to tuning in.

Aiming to be a synthesis of Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater, My Entire High School suffers from all of the issues that Anderson largely avoids, eventually settling for being a kind of low-rent Whit Stillman as if produced by children. It’s mostly pretty horrible, although possibly compellingly so if you’re in the right frame of mind. Unless, of course, you’re one of the chosen it’s so desperately aiming to please, in which case it’s like unsliced bread made of purest organic vinyl.

Special Features: The Art of and The Making of My Entire High School / Five shorts

MY ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL SINKING INTO THE SEA / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DASH SHAW / SCREENPLAY: DASH SHAW / STARRING: JASON SCHWARTZMAN, REGGIE WATTS, MAYA RUDOLPH, LENA DUNHAM, SUSAN SARANDON / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 5TH

When a series of horrific murders targeting young women occur in the small town of Martfu, a determined detective becomes obsessed with freeing a potentially innocent man from prison and catching the real culprit before he strikes again. Little does he know, however, that the case has its roots deep in conspiracy and corruption which could potentially see him lose a lot more than he ever imagined. Based on real-life events, Strangled is a social, political and psychological thriller set at the height of socialism in 1960s Hungary. With the Soviets having taken control and the effects of the failed uprising still being felt, dark secrets and betrayals are slowly uncovered in this throwback thriller.

Directed by Arpad Sopsits, Strangled is an unflinching piece of work that doesn’t hold back. With scenes of necrophilia and strong sexual violence, some might argue that the film has a tendency to overstep the mark into exploitation. What one may perceive as a gratuitous depiction of misogynistic murder could just as easily be argued by someone else as being a true representation of the crimes committed. Either way, the effect it has on the audience will leave many feeling uncomfortable, which is a brutally authentic emotion to have when watching a sordid thriller of this nature.

The cinematography by Gábor Szabó perfectly captures the gloomy aesthetic of the time with the brutalist concrete structures contrasting with the serene rural backdrop of Martfu. The visual imagery is enhanced further thanks to Márk Moldvai’s score which is the perfect accompaniment to the events that are unfolding onscreen. Whether it’s the foreboding beat of the killer stalking his prey or the high-octane tempo of a chase, Moldvai’s music manages to bring out the most of every situation. The performances by the cast are strikingly bold and although they may at times be verging on a little caricature, the script does enough to keep proceedings grounded, giving each of the characters enough room to breathe.

With the country having suffered from Communistic rule, it’s interesting to learn about the sensitive political climate of the time. Add to that a judicial system which was put into complete disarray due to various levels of corruption and incompetence and we’re able to get an idea of just how complicated the situation in Hungary really was. Where Strangled really shines however is when conveying how powerless many of the characters are due to the charade of a competent police department having to be maintained at whatever the cost. It’s thanks to the script which refuses to buckle under pressure that Strangled is able to cover so much of the time period whilst still being an enjoyably dark thriller.

Overall, Strangled is a success thanks to its no holds barred approach to its subject matter. Although some may find it distasteful, genre fans will be happy to see that Arpad Sopsits has crafted a deeply mesmerizing film which will keep viewers hooked to the bitter end. Although the pacing can at times be a little uneven and the performances maybe a tad overcooked, Strangled does what all good factual films set out to achieve and makes you want to read more about the real story. So if you’re looking for a meaty thriller to tuck into then look no further and give this one a watch!

STRANGLED / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ARPAD SOPSITS / STARRING: KAROLY HAJDUK, GABOR JASZBERENYI, ZSOLT ANGER / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 5TH

Back in the late-1990s and early-2000s, Dragon Ball Z was the flagship of Cartoon Network’s Toonami segment. Divided into sagas rather than seasons, Akira Toriyama’s manga-turned-anime was the Japanese answer to Superman. The protagonist, Son Goku, discovers in the first episode the secret of his otherworldly strength and superpowers. In the words of his biological brother Raditz, “You were born on planet Vegeta …. You are a Saiyan … a space fighter.” Later in the series, we learn the fate of planet Vegeta; it was destroyed by the Saiyan’s Galactic overlord Frieza, a shape-shifting monster with enough power in his pinky finger to crack planets open like an egg. But it wasn’t just his godlike strength that set this villain apart from all the previous chief antagonists of the series. All the way through Dragon Ball, all the other main villains Goku had faced had redeemable qualities, after showing them mercy all of them were converted into good guys; allies like Tien, Piccolo, Vegeta, even Yamcha, all started out as villains but were turned to the light by Goku.

Frieza was the first nemesis the Saiyan was forced to kill because he just wouldn’t accept mercy and refused to change. (Although, technically in the Android Saga we learn that Frieza survived by being transformed into a cyborg by his father King Cold.) So, when it was announced that the character was being resurrected with a major power boost and new final form for Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, fans that had grown up with the anime were drawn back to finally see the rematch they never saw in the original anime but always wanted to see. They were not left disappointed and Dragon Ball Super Season 1 Part 2 retells and expands on the events of the film.

Highlights for longtime fans include finally seeing a new Super Saiyan transformation, as well as finally seeing Super Saiyan Vegeta fight against Frieza; and in a surprise departure from the film version of the new saga, Frieza’s underling Captain Ginyu also makes a return. Fans who grew up with the series will love reliving their childhood, and in the extras we even hear Ian Sinclair, voice of Whis, talk about how 20-odd years ago he was a fan of the anime and how excited he is to be a recurring character in the new series.

The extended runtime makes the series version the preferable version of the Resurrection of Frieza storyline in almost every way. There are, however, some problems with the quality of the artwork compared to the original movie which the saga is based on.

DRAGON BALL SUPER SEASON 1 – PART 2 / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: VARIOUS / SCREENPLAY: AKIRA TORIYAMA / STARRING: MASAKO NOZAWA, RYO HORIKAWA, MASAKAZU MORITA, NAOKI TATSUTA, HIROMI TSURU / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 29TH

The Dragonball Z movies can be confusing for fans obsessed with continuity too much. Trying your best, it is just impossible to fit them in somewhere between the events of the anime series. For this reason it is best to view them as “what if?” stories, and watching them from that point of view in this set we get two of the best “what if?” scenarios. In Super Android 13! it is: what if the leader of the Red Ribbon Army, Dr Gero, somehow cheated death to create a faction of androids even more powerful than androids 16, 17 and 18?

The Android Saga is arguably the best story arc of the whole Dragonball series. Seeing the Prince of All Saiyans, Vegeta finally transform into a Super Saiyan, as well as the introduction of his half human son Trunks, who came from an apocalyptic future destroyed by Androids 17 and 18 that looked like it came straight out of the Terminator films. Because of this saga’s popularity with fans, it was a natural fit to have the Z fighters return for another battle with a new band of android killing machines.

In Bojack Unbound, the “what if?” is: what if an alien even stronger than Perfect Cell invaded the Earth? The film uses a martial arts tournament setting, a plot device often employed in the anime series. Fans will enjoy the bouts between Tien and Trunks, as well as Piccolo taking on Krillin. The film is also only second time we see teen Gohan use his Super Saiyan Two transformation.

While the two films could have benefited from more remastering for the Blu-ray release, the Funimation dub is far superior to the Pioneer releases of other Dragonball movies. Those older English dubs were so ridiculously bad they were good!

DRAGON BALL Z MOVIE COLLECTION FOUR: SUPER ANDROID 13!/BOJACK UNBOUND / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: DAISUKE NISHIO, YOSHIRO UEDA / STARRING: MASAKO NOZAWA, TOSHIO FURUKAWA, MAYUMI TANAKA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Batman. Jack the Ripper. When the Dark Knight takes on the most infamous serial killer of all time, who wins? Fans of DC animation, as it happens. The premier Elseworlds tale comes to the small screen in this adaptation of Mike Mignola’s 1989 classic Gotham by Gaslight, pitting a Victorian-era Batman against the Ripper himself. Or an alternate universe version, anyway.

Don’t go expecting the pitch-black Gothic mystery of Mignola’s graphic novel though: this animated movie is the loosest of adaptations, taking the story’s magnificent hook and discarding almost everything else. Batman and the Ripper brawl their way across the rooftops and gardens of Victorian Gotham City, even finding the time to punch one another aboard a moving zeppelin as they go. It’s a far cry from the thoughtful slasher story of Mignola’s work, closer in tone and style to Guy Richie’s Sherlock Holmes than the DC Hammer movie it should have been.

Nevertheless, Gotham by Gaslight is a minor return to form for DC’s animated sector, putting the rest of their recent output to shame (the charming Adam West movies aside, of course – no, we’re looking at you, Killing Joke and Batman and Harley Quinn). The action is cinematic and flows smoothly, the animation far better than it has been recently (looking at you this time, Justice League Dark and anything which features stupid chin-strap Batman). It’s curiously overlit and Batman looks quite ridiculous in his Victorian costume, but Bruce Timm’s Animated Series influence shines through, not quite meshing with the Mignola influence, but almost working, all the same.

The voice acting, however, is the film’s strongest suit. On paper, Bruce Greenwood – who played the Caped Crusader back in 2006’s Under the Red Hood  movie – might have been nobody’s first choice to play the Batman, but he’s a natural, his performance nicely reminiscent of fan favourite Kevin Conroy. Jennifer Carpenter too, is good fun as Selina Kyle. The widening of the story’s roster to take in characters such as Selina and Harvey Dent (not to mention a version of the Scarecrow!) is predictable and shows a lack of confidence in the source material, but at least the Joker isn’t shoehorned in there. Anthony Stewart Head, meanwhile, was born to play Alfred, and one bemoans his relatively small role in the proceedings.

In spite of its jettisoning of the classic source material and unsuitable visual style, Gotham by Gaslight should be counted as one of the studio’s now-rare successes. In spite of its flaws, it’s a ripping good tale.

Special Features: Audio commentary / Caped Fear: The First Elseworld featurette / Sneak peek at Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay / Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Brave and the Bold episodes

BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: SAM LIU / SCREENPLAY: JAMES KRIEG / STARRING: BRUCE GREENWOOD, JENNIFER CARPENTER, TARA STRONG, YURI LOWENTHAL, KARI WUHRER, SCOTT PATTERSON, ANTHONY STEWART HEAD / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 5TH

Sandwiched between Dario Argento’s mesmerising debut movie The Bird with The Crystal Plumage and the up-tempo madness of Four Flies on Grey Velvet, industrial espionage thriller Cat O’Nine Tails is the overlooked middle child in boggle-eyed auteur’s ‘Animals Trilogy’. The tale of blind former journalist-turned crossword designer played by Karl Malden who investigates murders linked to genetic research into the criminal psychosis chromosome, it hardly breaks the giallo mould but goes through the motions with finesse.

The casting is spot-on. Malden’s probing into the case leads him to join forces with a fellow journalist Carlo Giordani, who, in the hands of James Franciscus (fresh from Beneath the Planet of the Apes) brings just the right degree of crusading gravitas. Young Cinzia de Carolis as Malden’s granddaughter assists them without once making you want to stick your boot through the TV like most other child actors, while French actress Catherine Spaak as the inevitable mysterious women at the heart of the mystery has the ice maiden routine nailed.

Back in the 1980s, when the only way to get hold of Argento’s work uncut was on low-generation VHS bootlegs with atrocious sound and murky picture, his earlier works failed to impress next to the audio-visual assault of Deep Red, Suspiria, Inferno and Tenebrae. Now remastered in 4K with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from Arrow, The Cat O’ Nine Tails positively bristles with stylish confidence. The night-time cinematography and widescreen compositions are often exquisite and the murder scenes, while relatively restrained, are staged with Argento’s signature theatricality. Indeed, the railway terminus killing of Dr. Calabresi near the start of the film is one of the most bizarre and beautifully choreographed of Argento’s career. The mounting paranoia is accented by a score from the great Ennio Morricone, who was sprinkling his music like confetti at this point in time.

The set is rounded off by a decent set of extras including new interviews with Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, actress Cinzia De Carolis and production manager Angelo Iacono. Argento doesn’t hide his antipathy towards the film, particularly the American stylings he brought to it, something he was ‘guilty’ of throughout his career so it’s odd that he singles this out as the worst offender. Anyway, he freely admits his concerns at the time receded as soon as he realised he had another box office hit on his hands. Those were the days, eh Dario?

THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS (1971) / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: DARIO ARGENTO / SCREENPLAY: DARIO ARGENTO / STARRING: KARL MALDEN, JAMES FRANCISCUS, CINZIA DE CAROLIS CATHERINE SPAAK / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 29TH

The title of this brisk, atmospheric, occasionally-creepy 1964 low budget black and white British alien invasion thriller is quite the misnomer. There’s a bit of terrified shrieking going on now and again but the Earth dies with a bit of a whimper, the human race subjugated by what’s assumed to be a surreptitious gas attack prior to the arrival of stalking silver robots who wander around zapping any survivors and turning them into glassy-eyed zombies. But we’re willing to give The Earth Dies Screaming a pass on its misleading title because it’s far better than its lurid title might suggest and a pretty decent example of a typically-British apocalyptic tale in the vein Day of the Triffids or some of the works of John Christopher.

The first five minutes, in particular, are terrific and still unsettling fifty-odd years later. Humanity is dying. Trains hurtle off the tracks, planes drop out of the sky, a car drives into a wall, people are dropping like flies. Into a desolate English village dotted with corpses and crashed cars drives rather mature American test pilot Jeff Nolan (Parker. He’s quickly joined by a group of remarkably upper class fellow survivors, the usual mix of the naïve and the shifty beloved of post-apoc fiction of the era. They’re just starting to formulate a survival plan when two blank-faced silver-suited robots arrive in the village – it’s hard  to imagine that they didn’t influence the look of Doctor Who’s Cybermen, who debuted on TV a year or so later – and shuffle around looking for survivors to kill.

Running for little over an hour, The Earth Dies Screaming moves at a fair old clip and it certainly doesn’t hang about. The robots (we never see more than two of them in action at any time) look a bit cut-price but they’re actually quite effective in their remorselessness as they stroll unhurriedly about the village courtesy of the plentiful striking location filming. Regular Hammer director Terence Fisher creates a couple of genuinely-tense sequences as one of the robots gazes balefully through a window at one of the survivors at night and the ‘zombified’ humans languidly pursue Peggy (Field) around the hotel the group have initially gathered in. It’s actually quite a bleak and pessimistic scenario with no easy resolution despite its rather hurried and convenient finale and in many ways it’s a shame the film wraps up so quickly as there’s still plenty of dramatic potential in the story which another twenty or thirty minutes could have comfortably developed. As a result the film’s over and done before it’s even really started and consequently it was never destined to be remembered as a landmark lo-fi British genre movie. It is, however, despite its limitations, one of the better schlocky B-movies of the era and it’s heartening to see it resurrected on this crisp new Blu-ray edition which is thoroughly recommended to fans of good old fashioned British genre movies from an age long before flashy CGI took so much of the homespun fun out of the genre.

Extras: Commentary, trailer, posters and images.

THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING (1964) / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: TERENCE FISHER / SCREENPLAY: HENRY CROSS / STARRING: WILLARD PARKER, DENNIS PRICE, VIRGINIA FIELD, DAVID SPENSER, THORLEY WALTERS, ANNA PALK, VANDA GODSELL / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 29TH