Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

JUNGLE TRAP + RUN COYOTE RUN

A journalist and an anthropologist, who happen to also be an estranged husband and wife, set off on an expedition to the Amazon along with their crew (which conveniently includes our man’s new love interest), where they hope to track down a valuable idol belonging to the Mali, an ancient tribe of headhunters. Sounds like a recipe for trouble if ever there was one, but it gets even worse – the Mali are on the warpath after government troops raided their land and built a hotel on top of their sacred burial ground. See if you can guess where the team are staying!

Shot in 1990, Jungle Trap remained unfinished and unreleased until 2016 when the folks at Bleeding Skull obtained the original footage and re-cut and re-scored the film with assistance from the original director, James Bryan (Don’t Go Into The Woods). Now seeing its first official European release thanks to the collaboration between 101 Films and the American Genre Film Archive, the full glory of this fever dream is unlikely to appeal to a wide audience but is an absolute treat for fans of what could politely be described as “the arse end of cinema”. Awkwardly-worded dialogue is delivered with little to no urgency or emotion by a cast whose acting abilities are amateur at best, the ultra-low budget results in such pleasures as jungle scenes which were definitely filmed indoors being cut with stock footage in a failed attempt to create the illusion of being outside, and the story itself, written by iconic Z-grade auteur Rene Harmon, makes very little sense whatsoever. Having said that, there are shining lights in the form of Obie, the borderline barmy bellhop, who steals the few scenes he’s in, as does the drunken pilot whose manic enthusiasm causes the cast to visibly corpse on camera.

The main feature’s commentary track with James Bryan, actress Heidi Ahn and some of the Bleeding Skull team goes into great detail about how the film was found, restored and completed, providing an interesting insight into what went on behind the scenes. We also get to visit James Bryan’s “film farm” in a short 10-minute featurette, marvel at a few minutes’ worth of outtakes, and are treated to 25 minutes of surviving footage (albeit with no audio) from “Horror Con”, another one of Bryan’s unfinished films from 1989. On top of all this, another full-length Harmon / Bryan effort is included on the disc – Run Coyote Run (1987) is a 70-minute mess of a movie which follows a psychic cop on a mission to track down her missing sister. If you’re the sort of deviant who’s able to overlook the rough edges and relish in the enthusiasm of those involved and appreciate the fact that such ridiculous films are being kept alive for future generations to be appalled by, then Jungle Trap‘s haunted hotel fever dream will be right up your alley. A treasure trove of forgotten footage from the very edge of sanity!

Jungle Trap + Run Coyote Run is available now on Blu-ray from 101 Films

HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS (1983)

Famous for being the only film that brought together the quartet of horror legends, Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and John Carradine, House of the Long Shadows succeeds in being an affectionate homage to the old dark house movies of yesteryear. The final film from exploitation director Pete Walker (House of Whipcord) takes a completely different route from what we expect from him. Michael Armstrong (Mark of the Devil) provides the script, adding to the renowned credentials.

A young American writer (Desi Arnaz, Jr) claims that he could knock out a novel in the vein of Wuthering Heights in 24 hours. His publisher (Richard Todd) takes him up on this and suggests the Gothic surroundings of a mansion in Wales, which is owned by a friend. When he gets there, he finds he isn’t alone as not only has an attractive woman (Julie Peasgood) turned up but so have a group of ageing characters who claim they imprisoned their sibling in a room 40 years previous and plan to release him.

Although the film wasn’t particularly received particularly well on its original release, time has actually been very kind to House of the Long Shadows. This is largely due to the stellar cast – which is bolstered by Walker regular Sheila Keith as well as top character actors Richard Todd and Norman Rossington. The story is based on Seven Keys to Baldpate, and the familiarity of the scenario – the tale has been adapted many times over the years – means many of the ‘shocks’ are old hat. However, that’s probably the point since the film is an affectionate homage to the movies of yesteryear and a fitting tribute to the legendary cast. It’s played as a creepy comedy rather than straight horror (although not a spoof), and as the love for the renowned horror stars has increased over the years, House of the Long Shadows plays less creaky now. The film came out when the British video nasty scandal was in full swing, so audiences weren’t ready for a throwback to the golden age of horror.

It’s interesting seeing Julie Peasgood in a leading role in a horror picture (even one that leans into comedy), and former Benny Hill ‘Angel’ Louise English has a supporting role. These odd casting choices add to its retro Gothic style and make the movie feel more like an Amicus production than a Pete Walker film. The horror legends play up to their personal characteristics perfectly, Price, in particular, gives the scenery a good ol’ chomp. Every cliché is ramped up a notch, with thunder crashes and shadows aplenty.

The new release from Fabulous Films – on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK – contains a feature-length documentary that revisits the location of the film with the director, actor Peasgood, and D.P. Norman Langley. There are also on-camera interviews with more of the cast and crew, and it’s an entertaining watch even though some of the footage is crudely filmed. Walker also has another interview section in a shorter extra, as well as the audio commentary, so some stories are repeated but it’s a small issue that certainly doesn’t spoil the enjoyment. It’s the perfect excuse to reacquaint yourself with this British classic.

House of the Long Shadows is released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 28th.

MIDNIGHT

A deaf mother and daughter (Ki-joo Jin and Hae-yeon Kil) find themselves running from a serial killer (Wi Ha-Joon) after accidentally stumbling upon his latest victim. The plot of Midnight isn’t complex, but it’s an effectively stripped-down horror/thriller that keeps you entertained and tense as the cat and mouse game plays out around the back roads of a South Korean city. Wi Ha-Joon is chilling as serial killer Do Shik, able to present a friendly, trustworthy façade when faced with the authorities while convincingly terrifying when hunting for his next victim, while Ki-joo Jin and Hae-yoen Kil are protagonists you desperately want to see survive as they fight for their life through the long night.

The film makes good use of its concept, with dramatic devices like sound sensors and activated lights, and creative uses of the soundtrack increasing the tension throughout the film. But having a deaf main character is more than just a gimmick for scares or to create easy sympathy, it’s integral to the core of the film. Midnight is a film concerned with how we treat people with disabilities in society, shunting them to the side, and why we treat those in suits as bastions of goodness and truth. It’s protagonists find it so difficult to escape because they aren’t believed, society rending itself as part of the problem along with the killer. Midnight builds to this point in a clever ending that wrongfoots you while playing into its overall statement.

Midnight is a pleasure of a horror. Stripped down and lean, it’s clever and well-executed while maintaining a social message throughout. Another horror hit from Korea that deserves to be seen.

MIDNIGHT is available on Blu-ray now from Eureka Entertainment

THE BIG BOSS (1971) [Special Edition Blu-ray]

It all began with a fight in San Francisco that led to martial arts legend Bruce Lee questioning the effectiveness of Wing Chun, and his own system known as Jun Fan Gung Fu. In 1964, Lee was challenged by Wong Jack-man, known for his mastery of Xingyiquan, Northern Shaolin, and T’ai chi ch’uan, to a public contest in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s said that the challenge originated due to Lee’s willingness to teach martial art techniques to non-Asians, but Wong later disputed this, claiming it was due to Lee’s arrogance. Depending on who you choose to believe – Lee or Wong – the fight ended with either Lee victorious, or with no decisive blow by either fighter.

Jeet Kune Do originated later in 1967, following the cancellation of The Green Hornet TV series in which Lee starred as Kato. Lasting only 26 episodes, Lee was out of work and decided to focus on teaching at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute. Influenced by his earlier confrontation with Wong Jack-man, and his realisation that traditional martial arts techniques were not practical in a no-holds-barred street fight, Lee emphasised “practicality, flexibility, speed, and efficiency”. But even Jun Fan Gung Fu, “the style of no style”, was too restrictive for Lee. Instead, Jeet Kune Do (or “The Way of the Intercepting Fist”) was developed – a philosophy with guiding ideas rather than a formalised approach indicative of traditional styles.

Becoming increasingly frustrated with Hollywood, Bruce Lee turned to the Hong Kong film industry; negotiating contracts with both Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. Ultimately Lee would accept an offer from film producer Raymond Chow to co-star in The Big Boss alongside James Tien, and later Fist of Fury (at the time tentatively titled King of Chinese Boxers). Arriving in Thailand, Lee began working with director Wu Chia-hsiang, but the two soon developed a sincere dislike for each other. Wu wanted to adhere to the tradition of intricate, flowing kung fu used in Cantonese opera, whereas Lee wanted to perform realistic, fast strikes attributed to his practical approach (and Jeet Kune Do philosophy) to martial arts.

Disparagingly referring to the actor as “Three-Leg Lee”, Wu mocked Lee’s abilities in the hopes Golden Harvest would remove him from the project. But Chow was invested in Lee, and chose to remove Wu instead; replacing him with the infamous Lo Wei! There was however still one problem… Who was going to be the leading man? The established James Tien? Or charismatic newcomer Bruce Lee?

In an effort to avoid trouble, Cheng Chao-an (Bruce Lee) travels to Thailand to live and work with his cousin, Hsu Chien (James Tien), at an ice factory. The factory owner, Hsiao Mi (played by Han Ying-chieh, who also served as the fight choreographer) is a prominent figure in overseas Chinese society, but in secret, he is operating the factory as a front for vice; kilos of heroin encased in each ice block! After several workers are never seen again – having discovered Hsiao’s secret stash – Hsu sets out to investigate and confronts his boss. Big mistake!

During production, Lo Wei played Bruce Lee and James Tien off against each other but found himself increasingly impressed with Lee’s work ethic and authenticity. Tien’s character was therefore re-written and his death imminent! During the film’s final reel, suspicious of Hsu’s own sudden disappearance, Cheng himself confronts Hsiao – discovering not only the heroin but also the frozen, bloody remains of Hsu and his former colleagues! Enraged, Cheng sets out to kill the racketeers in vengeance, leading to a deadly clash with the titular big boss himself!

Shortly before The Big Boss was released in 1971, cuts to excessive graphic violence were required by the Hong Kong censors. And while further cuts required by overseas territories have been restored over time – including in America, where the film was originally titled Fist of Fury – the material cut by HK remains missing. Regardless, The Big Boss is shockingly violent. However, it was Bruce Lee’s charisma and insistence on authentic fight choreography (to the chagrin of Han Ying-chieh) had audiences around the world transfixed. It’s an important, often under-appreciated movie – when compared to 1973’s Enter the Dragon – that is deserving of reappraisal. Bruce Lee’s earlier conversation with Raymond Chow during the production of The Big Boss proved to be true: “You just wait, I’m going to be the biggest Chinese star in the world.”

SKINNY TIGER AND FATTY DRAGON (1990)

This buddy-cop comedy was produced to push Sammo Hung back into the big time after experiencing a dip in box office sales in the late ‘80s. It’s full of slapstick, great fights, and ladyboy hitmen (welcome to 1990’s Hong Kong!). It’s showcased for the first time on Blu-ray, packed with extras. Lucky us!

Sammo plays a policeman (a rarity in his career) and Bruce Lee enthusiast, who constantly bickers with his partner, played by comedian Karl Maka. Imagine Riggs and Hurtaugh on steroids. They are tasked with taking down some big-time drug dealers while being accused of sexual harassment and assorted silliness. Surprisingly, unlike many films in this genre, the relationship between the characters is genuinely funny and an extended sequence where they crash their bosses’ wedding is hilarious. It goes without saying that the action is top class and abundant, featuring Sammo doing his best Bruce Lee impression, complete with a final nunchaku showdown.

The standout extra is a documentary about English stunt man and actor Mark Houghton. It features some strange setups, including him relaying a story about being stabbed under a swinging lightbulb, however, it’s a fascinating look into the unique life of a man born in a small town, working in Hong Kong cinema, and becoming a student of the legendary Lau Kar-leung. We also get an audio interview with him, where he talks about the film directly. We are then treated to an archival interview with director Lau Kar-wing and stunt coordinator Ridley Tsui. The disc has two commentaries, one featuring Frank Djeng and Bobby Samuels, the other with the always entertaining Mike Leeder, alongside Arne Venema. Finally, an extended version of the final fight is featured for good measure. The film maybe a little too esoteric for casual viewers but Sammo fans will be bowled over with this offering. Keep it up, Eureka.

Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon is out now on Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment.

THE DEVIL’S MEN (1976)

The Devil’s Men is a curious and rather bland mid-1970s horror offering that sits uncomfortably (and unnecessarily) between the end of the classic Hammer era and the decade’s late period reinvention when the horror genre started to become a bit more visceral and a lot more graphic. Despite appearances from Peter Cushing (who has the good grace to deliver another of his charming, good-natured performances despite looking largely quite bored throughout) and Donald Pleasance who does his best to look as if he gives a damn and hasn’t just turned up to justify the paycheque.

In a remote Greek village (the stunning location sequences look beautiful on BluRay) tourists are abducted and sacrificed by a satanic cult in thrall to the ‘ferocious’ Minotaur (hence the film’s US title Land of the Minotaur). Cushing – he appears briefly in the opening sequence until disappearing until around the 40-minute mark – plays the suave Baron Corofax, the sinister leader of the cult. Pleasence plays Father Roche who, with the help of former student Milo Kaye (Kostas Karagiorgis) and Laurie Gordon (Luan Peters), girlfriend of one of the missing tourists investigates the village’s mysterious occult underbelly.

The Devil’s Men is dry and unaffecting stuff. The film toys feebly with themes far better tackled in 1973’s The Wicker Man and the curious mix of seasoned British genre icons and badly-dubbed Greek actors gives it an uneven and schizophrenic tone that undercuts its attempts to deliver something dark and sinister. Arthur Rowe’s half-hearted script doesn‘t help; there’s no real attempt to explore exactly why this cult has managed to thrive and what exactly the ‘Minotaur’ is – beyond a rather feeble statue that snorts steam occasionally. The Devil’s Men does exploit the heightened expectations of the 1970s horror audience though thanks to a bit of gore and a few largely-gratuitous displays of naked female flesh. But the film is ultimately a tedious, pedestrian affair with no real drama or sense of urgency; it’s a film that’s content to mundanely go through the motions and, fatally for a film that purports to be a horror movie, it’s not even remotely scary even when viewed through a sympathetic 1970s prism. Cushing fans will enjoy seeing their hero in this obscure rarity and there’s some brief diversion offered by Brian Eno’s genre-inappropriate electronic score, but nothing here will live long in the memory because the film has nothing new or unusual to offer except things we’ve seen dozens of time before in far more accomplished films. The Devil’s Men looks good but that’s pretty much all it has going for it. Comprehensive special features include the original longer cut and the 86 minute US cut, critics’ commentary, a rare 1973 John Player Lecture audio interview with Cushing, producer interview and souvenir booklet. It’s a devil of a package.

CAVEAT

“Every job has a uniform.” Issac (Jonathan French), suffering from amnesia, has taken a job looking after Barret’s (Ben Caplan) neice Olga (Leila Sykes). The downsides, she lives isolated on a small island, suffers deep-rooted psychological problems, and insists her helper wears a chained waistcoat harness so he doesn’t go where he shouldn’t. He’s being paid handsomely, though, and despite his reticence, tries to make a go of it. He’s soon troubled by a series of strange events and the eerie atmosphere of the grim-looking house. Isaac walks around the decaying place like the ghost of a man he is without his full memory. When he finds something in the cellar, this get even worse.

Damian Mc Carthy’s debut feature is a tense, claustrophobic thriller that gradually makes its mark on the viewer. Stunningly shot by Kieran Fitzgerald, every part of the run-down house seems to hold a sinister presence, not least a toy clockwork rabbit banging a drum, which is the stuff of nightmares. The imposing soundscape adds to the terrifying quality, building up more dread than any jump scare could. Mc Carthy makes some brave choices – like plunging the screen into darkness save for a flashlight – and certainly knows how to pitch a scare. The cast are all superb – particularly French and Sykes – and as the story unfolds, and Isaac’s memory begins to return, the terror is ramped up to unbearable levels.

A stunningly effective debut and proof that cinema can still be genuinely scary.

Caveat is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and on Shudder.

THE DOCTORS – THE PAT TROUGHTON YEARS BEHIND THE SCENES VOL 1

Reeltime’s latest 2-disc release whisks us back to the 1960s and the early days of Doctor Who (the focus here largely being on the time of Second Doctor Patrick Troughton) and once again offers us the priceless opportunity to see many of the show’s early movers and shakers – sadly no longer with us – discussing their work on the series (and often much more beyond) with the ever-affable Nicholas Briggs. As usual with these likeable collections, the real ‘meat’ can be found on the first disc. Here Shaun Sutton, former head of drama at the BBC, interviewed in the late 1990s, talks not only about his own fascinating career but his close involvement with Doctor Who. We’re reminded that, even though the show, even in its “classic series” prime, was never a massive ratings banker for the BBC, it was always a unique and popular property, an important cornerstone in the Corporation’s Saturday night schedule and Sutton, like many of those curating the series in the 1960s and 1970s, respected both the show and those working on it. Perhaps the most interesting piece here is an interview with writer Victor Pemberton, culled from two separate chats. Pemberton scripted the almost legendary 1967 serial ‘Fury From The Deep’ (frustratingly missing from the archives but recently animated) and worked both as an actor and script editor for the show but cult TV fans will also find his recollections of writing for the 1970’s brilliant ITV kids’ serial Timeslip and the later Ace of Wands of interest. He is also amusingly dismissive of the then-recent 1996 TV Movie starring Paul McGann. Disc One is rounded off by an interview with producer Derrick Sherwin who guided the show through its troubled waters at the end of the 1960s and into a popular new era in the 1970s. A no-nonsense figure who famously refused to suffer fools at all, let alone gladly, Sherwin is on warmer form here as he chats to Briggs about his experiences working on TV in general and, of course, Doctor Who, in particular.

Disc Two is the usual grab-bag featuring convention footage from 1986 with Pemberton, producers Innes Lloyd and Peter Bryant and actor Michael Craze (Hartnell/Troughton companion Ben Jackson) and two ‘Flight Through Eternity’ features turn the spotlight on a string of supporting performers – Beryl Braham, Anthony Colby, Martin Cort, John Greenwood, George Layton and more – culled from a 2007 Convention appearance. Most of them are baffled to find themselves in demand to talk about brief TV appearances from decades earlier and, unfortunately, most of them can remember very little about their time on Doctor Who but they all are rightly proud of the little place in TV history they have earned, albeit by accident.

Reeltime continues to delight with these archive releases, little time capsules that allow us to spend some time with many of the long-gone architects of Doctor Who whose work lives on as Doctor Who itself powers in rude health towards its sixtieth anniversary.

CRASH (1996)

Massively controversial on its original release – even banned for a while in the UK – David Cronenberg’s adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s 1973 novel still has the power to shock but also remains a powerful spectacle.

James Ballard (James Spader) is a film director who enjoys an open, intensely sexual relationship with his wife Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger). When he’s involved in a car accident that leaves him with a horrific leg injury, a man dead, and the man’s wife Helen (Holly Hunter) scarred he becomes captivated with car crashes and their impacts. He becomes close to Helen – a doctor – and her physician, Dr Vaughan (Elias Koteas), who organises recreations of famous, lethal accidents (such as James Dean’s final ride) in his spare time.

Time hasn’t softened the impact of Crash. The juxtaposition of twisted steel and writhing, naked, and often scarred bodies is as disturbing as ever. Cronenberg’s fascination with corrupted flesh is as evident as always, only this time it’s blended with the mangled bodywork of vehicles. It’s a tale of obsession and living out fantasies, however macabre they might be.

Looking at the film today, we have to posit that the element that might have caused the most outrage with the censors and viewers at the time of release could be the same-sex coupling of Spader and Koteas in one scene. The sexual element has been surpassed by more recent films, but the inappropriate nature still packs a punch.

Aussie label Umbrella’s Blu-ray release has plenty of extras that show the various sides of the production, with input from Cronenberg’s regular cinematographer Peter Suschitzky (who was also behind the camera on The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Empire Strikes Back) and composer Howard Shore amongst others. There’s even a cell phone-filmed intro by the director himself, which is very amusing.

THE MCPHERSON TAPE (1989)

Despite people attributing the found footage subgenre’s creation to The Blair Witch Project, its roots go back a lot longer, but arguably Dean Alioto’s The McPherson Tape in 1989 came to personify the style, ten years before its mainstream boom.

Not to be confused with Alioto and Paul Chitlik’s bigger-budgeted 1998 remake, which caused a stir on its TV release, The McPherson Tape is Alioto’s $6000 original which, after garnering a reputation (thanks to incomplete bootleg copies making the rounds in the States) as a real video of alien abduction, finally gets its first-ever home video release from the American Genre Film Archive.

This Blu-ray release boasts an upscaled transfer of the original 3/4 tape (thought lost after a warehouse fire), and it is a rather historically important release. Detailing an alien attack on a Connecticut family in 1983 during a birthday celebration, The McPherson Tape still retains its power.

At just under an hour long, this film has an unshakable authenticity and even if some aspects have aged, it is not hard to see why this story shook and convinced people back then. Even now, there is a real tension and dread in its scenes and you find yourself scouring the dark edges of the home video imagery for any signs of potential invaders who certainly have not come in peace. Even if it is an imperfect first step, it is a chilling one to remember.

The extras are pretty good too, with a 2017 director’s cut included, a Fantastic Fest Q & A, a director’s commentary and some other little tidbits. This rounds off a release that is pretty miraculous and most certainly welcome to fans of both found footage and alien horror.

The McPherson Tape is available now on Blu-Ray