Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

Review: Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman / Certificate: 18 / Director: Ernesto Diaz Espinoza / Screenplay: Ernesto Diaz Espinoza / Starring: Fernanda Urrejola, Matias Oviedo / Release Date: October 7th

Whilst using the toilet in a club he works at, Santiago (Oviedo) overhears his boss telling his henchman to kill the female bounty hunter, ‘The Machine Gun Woman’ (Urrejola), who just also happens to be the boss’ ex. When the DJ is discovered cowering in the stall, he is tasked with bringing the head of the bounty hunter to the boss, Che Longana, within 24 hours, or he will be killed.

That’s basically the plot in a nutshell of BMTHOTMGW, a Chilean made, insane production. Imagine a live action Grand Theft Auto, complete with missions and over-the-top violence, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to see. It’s fun, with a fast pace, and it never tries to take itself too seriously, which when you consider that it is another in a long list of Grindhouse-style films made on the cheap to cash in on the craze for the ultra-violence and sleaze-fests of the 1970s, is no bad thing.

It’s entertaining to a certain level and the obvious nods to gaming – Santiago is a gaming addict, which his mother chastises him for; on every ‘mission’ the camera follows his car and the on-screen announcements are in the same font as in the old Grand Theft Auto games – make this a more interesting and tongue-in-cheek film than others of the same ilk.

BMTHOTMGW isn’t going to win any awards, but this South American curio is a fun way to spend just over seventy minutes, especially if you get a few friends and some alcohol together!

Extras: None

Review: The Adventures of Prince Achmed / Cert: PG / Director: Lotte Reiniger / Screenplay: Lotte Reiniger / Starring: N/A / Release Date: Out Now

I see a silhouetto of a man. Not Scaramouche, doing the fandango (predictable joke), but Prince Achmed, riding his magical flying horse. Based on stories from The Arabian Nights, Lotte Reiniger’s The Adventures of Prince Achmed is one of the earliest ever feature-length animated films. And, with the others sadly no longer with us (presumably forever lost, along with those Doctor Who episodes and The Day the Clown Cried) this right here is a genuine piece of cinematic history. No, it’s not Pixar, but it is strikingly beautiful. Haven’t you had enough of cuddly cartoon characters by now, anyway? Archaic this may be, but outclassed? Never.

Otherwise known as The Tale of the Magic Horse, it tells the story of young prince Achmed, a brave fellow, hungry for adventure and excitement. This comes in the form of his mechanical horse, created by an evil sorcerer. From Baghdad to China, via Fiery Mountain and across the enchanted land of Wak-Wak, Achmed adventures his way to a final showdown with the sinister sorcerer of the piece. All of this and an appearance from Aladdin, too! Created over a period of three years, using intricate shadow puppets, it’s aged very well. As with Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and Nosferatu, inventive special effects serve it well. Racing through a series of colourful setpieces and beautiful designs, Prince Achmed is fun for all the family, laying down the very foundations for Disney and Pixar as it trundles on its merry way.

BFI have done a great job with this restoration, which comes with a number of soundtracks and must-see special features. Along with the original orchestral score by Wolfgang Zeller, there’s a brand new narration of the story, based upon Reiniger’s own translation, read by actress Penelope McGhie. Both bear watching, giving Prince Achmed even more replay value.

Animation aficionados, cinema historians and those bored of the current slew of CGI cartoons would be well recommended to seek out their copy of The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Again, I see a silhouetto of a man. Prince Achmed, I will do the fandango with you anytime.

Extras: Five short animated films / Illustrated booklet

Review: Time Bandits / Director: Terry Gilliam / Cert: PG / Screenplay: Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam / Starring: John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, David Warner, Craig Warnock / Release Date: Out Now

Over thirty years after its original release, Time Bandits finds its way to high definition in an edition bursting with extras, and it’s just as mental as you remember.

Kevin, a schoolboy with one heck of an imagination, finds himself being dragged along on a time travelling adventure with a group of little people who have stolen a map that points towards gateways through which they can travel and meet up with famous people from history. On their travels, they meet Napoleon, Agamemnon and even Robin Hood, but their plan is to steal as many valuables as possible. At the same time, they are being chased by a disembodied head that belongs to The Supreme Being, who wants the map back as well as being tracked by Evil, who wants to escape from where he is trapped in limbo along with his idiotic henchmen.

Looking back at the film now, it amazing to see just how dark it is, especially as it was intended for an audience made up of children. There are some really creepy moments for the audience to witness and you can really see the Monty Python influence throughout. It’s as if the Python crew were given the keys to Willow, seven years before Ron Howard helmed Lucas’ box-office misfire. Virtually everything can be traced back to the Flying Circus TV show and it is easy to spot where Gilliam has taken his own skills and outrageous humour used in the Python animation and utilised them on screen. Everything from the ogre and his wife on their ship – that just so happens to be strapped to a giant’s head – to the Jim Broadbent presented game show, “Your Money or Your Life” is pure insanity and makes for a children’s fantasy movie that just takes that extra step towards crossing the line of what is acceptable. As a result, even after all this time, it’s bloody brilliant.

There are some issues with the original print in places, but otherwise, it’s a very good transfer and some of the new extras are worth watching, especially for Python completionists.

Extras: Brand new 2k-resolution restoration, approved by Terry Gilliam / Original uncompressed PCM Stereo 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio options / Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing / Chasing Time Bandits: A new interview with Terry Gilliam / Writing the Film that Dares Not Speak its Name: A new interview in which Michael Palin / The Effects of Time Bandits: A new interview in which Kent Houston, founder of the Peerless Camera Company, discusses Time Bandits optical effects / Playing Evil: A new featurette in with David Warner / The Costumes of Time Bandits: A new interview with costume designer James Acheson / The Look of Time Bandits: A new interview with production designer Milly Burns / From Script to Screen: A new animated featurette in which Milly Burns / Original Trailer / Collector’s booklet

Review: Epic / Cert: U / Director: Chris Wedge / Screenplay: Various / Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Christoph Walz / Release Date: October 7th

From Blue Sky Studios and the director of Ice Age comes Epic, a visually pleasing but mediocre animated adventure that suffers from a derivative story, a thin script, and a sub-par voice cast. Not only does Epic fail to reach the greatness of the studio’s previous efforts, but it takes Blue Sky down a notch and raises questions about where it is going in terms of quality.

When Mary Katherine (Seyfried) visits her awkward, obsessive father in his house nestled in a quiet forest, the last thing she expects to happen is for her to shrink down to the size of a tiny forest person, called a Leafman, and help save the forest from certain destruction. But that’s exactly what happens. She immediately becomes acquainted with Nod (Hutcherson), a defiant Leafman soldier who inevitably becomes her squeeze as events unfold. Soon, she’s thrust into an ongoing conflict between the Leafmen and the Boggans, a race of tiny destructive creatures led by the sinister Mandrake (Waltz). M.K. must find a way to return to her normal size and save the Leafmen, but can she do both?

Amanda Seyfried leads a voice cast that, ultimately, fails to bring viewers into this world that the filmmakers are trying to make real for us. Her performance as Mary Katherine is frail, half-hearted, and dull, and viewers likely won’t connect with her on any level. Josh Hutcherson doesn’t do much better. He falls into all of the same traps that Seyfried does, but he does so with even less energy and soul. Christoph Waltz turns in the most impressive performance, presenting Mandrake as a powerful villain whose crazed plans make him unpredictable and dangerous. Waltz single-handedly holds up the rest of the cast, which is sad considering all of the incredible talent involved.

The film’s biggest misstep is its unforgivable lack of emotion. So many of the events that transpire are sucked dry of any impact they might have had on viewers, and the filmmakers clearly make mindless action a priority over substance. The film’s plot is ripe with opportunities to inject emotional resonance into the script, but director Chris Wedge and his team of brilliant animators and terrible storytellers decide to toss those opportunities out the window. The relationship between M.K and her father is a perfect example of a missed chance at good storytelling and character development. Their strained relationship becomes evident almost immediately, but it’s not explored in a way that makes viewers care about its outcome.

The climax also leaves the viewer wanting so much more. Throughout the film, the filmmakers drop hints at an epic Leafman/Boggan confrontation, but all they end up giving us is a rushed, poorly executed finale that underwhelms and disappoints.

For all its visual splendour, Epic fails to complement its beautiful animation with solid storytelling. Ultimately, it’s mildly enjoyable at its best and instantly forgettable at its worst, giving in to every cliché in the book and failing to offer anything new.

Extras: 5 Featurettes / Enhanced Colouring Book App Features

Review: Bloody Cuts / Cert: 18 / Director: Various / Screenplay: Various / Starring: Rachel Bright, Jake Hendriks, Ian Whyte, Kate Braithwaite / Release Date: Out Now

Horror fans may have already come across the films made by the Bloody Cuts team, as they can be found online for free, but now you can own them all in HD with extensive behind-the-scenes footage.

The Blu-ray has all eight short films made so far under the Bloody Cuts banner, starting with Lock Up, a very brief but incredibly effective story of something lurking in the dark as a late night worker leaves for the evening, right up to their most recent, Don’t Move, which features a seven-foot demon (Whyte from Game of Thrones) materialising after a group of friends use a Ouija board. Being short films (ranging from just over three minutes to almost fifteen), the writing has to be top-notch, and, luckily, there is not one dud among them. They are punchy, startling and, most importantly, scary. They don’t skimp on the gore either, with Don’t Move especially full of claret in a previously unseen Extreme Cut. All the team behind these films deserve to go far in the business, as from what is on show in these shorts, there is a hell of a lot of talent there.

While the films alone are worth the purchase, the disc boasts over two hours of bonus footage. Which ranges from ‘making of’ features, gag reels and the occasional “Dead Dating” video, there’s more than enough here to keep you watching. This isn’t just the average DVD filler, either, as many of the extras are both enlightening and entertaining, showing the viewer what actually goes into making low-budget films such as these, and how much fun the team have making them. As well as several small Easter eggs, there are three short films made by members of the team which fall outside the canon of the series, but are brilliant nonetheless. The Blu-ray/DVD combo is available now from the Bloody Cuts website, and is highly recommended.

Extras: See above.

Review: Deadman Wonderland – The Complete Series Collection / Cert: 18 / Director: Koichi Hatsumi / Screenplay: Various / Starring: Kana Hanazawa, Romi Park / Release Date: September 9th

Being 14 years old can be a bit of a nightmare anyway, but especially if your name happens to be Ganta Igarashi. One day this meek schoolboy sees his fellow classmates brutally massacred by a mysterious man in red. As the only survivor, suspicion falls on him, and he’s sentenced to death and shipped off to the titular Deadman Wonderland, a privately run correctional facility that is also a garish tourist attraction. On the bright side, at least it gets him off homework.

Here the inmates are forced to take part in various audience-pleasing spectacles; obstacle races where the obstacles try to chop you in two and shoot holes in you, all for the benefit of cheering crowds. Think Death Race meets It’s a Knockout. But it quickly becomes apparent that Ganta has unusual abilities, and this leads him to discover a game within the game where superpowered freaks are pitted against one another in vicious duels.

This 13-episode series cherry-picks from the original manga by Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou, so there’s so shortage of things going on. As well as the funhouse-themed menaces, the show stacks up plenty of crazed, sadistic nemeses for Ganta to knock down and it also offers a steady diet of explosions, bloody body horror and angry robots squirting face-melting acid. There’s a daring jailbreak, a mad monk who plays a Flying V, and, as you would expect with anime, a couple of very mean, very deadly little girls.

The animation’s pretty good too – sharp and slick with touches of individuality to make it stand out from the pack. It boasts deep, rich colours, flashy, expensive-looking action sequences and lovingly detailed backdrops, all whipped together with whirling, tilting camera angles.

However, the story elements are rather rough and ready, and as a result this isn’t a series with much in the way of cohesion, inner life or narrative drive beyond the question of who will be next to get in Ganta’s face. While the regular influxes of new characters are on the whole a good thing, it means that the show feels as though it’s continually rebooting itself. And some of the ingredients stubbornly refuse to mix with the rest – most notably Shiro, a bizarre catsuited girl-child whose level of banter wouldn’t be out of place at a Peppa Pig picnic. 

But even if it isn’t very moving or plausible, Deadman Wonderland is still very diverting. It also pushes the envelope in terms of being foul-mouthed and gory, and if that’s your bag, then step on through the turnstile and be prepared to be entertained. Just don’t complain if there’s not a lot of method to the mayhem.

Extras: TBC

Review: Arrow – Season 1 / Cert: 15 / Director: Various / Screenplay: Various / Starring: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, John Barrowman, Colin Donnell / Release Date: September 23rd

After Smallville’s 10-season run came to an end, The CW looked at several options to replace it. Wonder Woman and Aquaman shows didn’t make it past the pilot stage, so it was left to Arrow to step up to the plate. Based on DC’s Green Arrow, aka Oliver Queen, Arrow looks to pay homage to the comic book history of the character whilst managing to create an identity of its own.

With the use of flashbacks, we are quickly brought up to speed with the story of Oliver Queen (Amell). As we join the series, we see Oliver returning to Starling City after being presumed dead for five years. Having been shipwrecked on an isolated island, the pompous, arrogant playboy that is Oliver Queen soon has to learn to survive against the elements, the island and a few choice inhabitants. Bringing things forward to the present day, the returning Oliver is a lot different to the one that most remember. Whilst still having to live up to the façade of the playboy lifestyle on the surface, deep down Oliver is a new man. On a mission to clean up all that is wrong with the city, Oliver becomes the bow-and-arrow-wielding vigilante that comes to be known as ‘The Hood.’

Armed with a list of wrongdoers, Oliver starts to attract the attention of both Starling City’s criminals and its police force. Along the way, Oliver makes various acquaintances, getting assistance from certain characters, and what happened to Oliver during his time on the island is slowly revealed; how the happy-go-lucky naive billionaire became the dark, brooding hooded vigilante who would be sure to win a few Bully tankards and a caravan on Bullseye. As Oliver’s path is revealed, so are secrets about his past. Family troubles, broken relationships and friendships, daddy issues, and internal conflict are just some of the problems that Oliver has to deal with.

Stephen Amell is great in the role of Oliver Queen, perfectly capturing the tone, attitude and emotions of the character during his journey towards hero status. The show feels raw, slick and organic, with all key players putting in impressive turns, including John Barrowman hamming it up as big bad, Malcolm Merlyn. Often labelled as Batman-lite, Green Arrow is given a very promising adaptation for the TV audience, with it being more than just an adequate replacement for Smallville. Arrow is very much its own creature, pulling enough from the comic book world to appease fans of the Emerald Archer, yet delivering enough quality to attract a new audience through a new medium. A nice collection of extras adds to the overall package, making this a timely refresher ahead of the October premiere of Season 2 of the show.

Extras: Three Featurettes / Deleted Scenes / Gag Reel

Review: The Fall of the House of Usher / Cert: 15 / Director: Roger Corman / Screenplay: Richard Matheson / Starring: Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myma Fahey, Harry Ellerbe / Release Date: August 26th

Corman’s first Edgar Allan Poe adaptation is re-issued in a sumptuous HD edition, hopefully opening up the film to new audiences, and renewing the interest of old fans.

Young Philip Winthrop (Damon) arrives at his fiancée Madeline’s (Fahey) family home, only for her brother Roderick (Price) to tell him she is gravely ill, while the mansion appears to be falling apart around her very ears. Winthrop learns of the Usher family legacy; in that they have long been cursed by madness, and that the very house is just as diseased. However, even Madeline’s apparent sudden death will not keep the young man from attempting to take her away.

After several years churning out cheap black-and-white exploitation films, Roger Corman talked AIP into letting him make The Fall of the House of Usher in both colour and Cinemascope. Made in under three weeks, it was a gamble that paid off, and its success led to seven more Poe adaptations. It is certainly the best of the American-made AIP films (the best, The Masque of the Red Death was made in the UK). Lacking the gimmick casting of some of the later efforts, it displays Price’s true talent. His performance as the defeatist Roderick must rank among his best, his sinister delivery chilling to the bone. It is a film steeped in rich atmosphere and foreboding, with only a few minor ‘shocks’, along with a bizarre, psychedelic dream sequence, which build to a bombastic climax. Screen adapter Matheson takes a few liberties with the classic Gothic tale, but for the most part stays true to the story’s themes. The glorious cinematography by Floyd Crosby, complemented by Daniel Haller’s grand art direction, make this a joy to watch; the Blu-ray transfer brings out the luscious colours without showing up too many imperfections. Although, as is pointed out in one of the magnificent bonus features, the make-up used to turn Ellerbe into the aged servant Bristol leaves a lot to be desired.

As usual, Arrow Video have packed in plenty of supplementary features, including an informative (previously available) Corman commentary, and two talking head featurettes, both of which are brilliant, even if some of the anecdotes overlap. It’s also a joy to see a rare archive interview with Price himself, who is in good spirits and very entertaining. Despite the quality drop (it is archive footage), it is certainly worthy of inclusion.

Extras: Audio commentary with director and producer Roger Corman / Legend to Legend – An interview with director and former Corman apprentice Joe Dante / Interview with author and Gothic horror expert Jonathan Rigby/ Fragments of the House of Usher – A Specially-commissioned video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns examining Corman’s film in relation to Poe’s story / Archival interview with Vincent Price / Original Trailer / Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Tim Lucas and an extract from Vincent Price’s long out of print autobiography

Review: Dead Sushi / Cert: 18 / Director: Noboru Iguchi / Screenplay: Noboru Iguchi / Starring: Rina Takeda, Shigeru Matsuzaki, Kentaro Shimazu, Takamasa Suga / Release Date: September 23rd

Director Noburo Iguchi certainly has a penchant for the strange. With his previous works including the likes of The Machine Girl, RoboGeisha and Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead, it comes as no surprise that Iguchi’s fishy tale may not be for everyone. The focal point of our story is Keiko (Takeda), the daughter of a great sushi chef. Failing to match her father’s achievements in sushi making, not to mention martial arts, the shame drives her to run away and start a new life. Becoming a waitress at a hotel, she soon comes up against a threat that will push her skills to their limits: killer sushi!

As crazy as it sounds, the film is exactly what you would expect from Iguchi. Played out like an Asian Troma film, there’s Evil Dead-style POV shots, there’s horrendously clichéd sound effects, there are ridiculous backstories, and there’s living, breathing, biting, flying sushi. If you threw Critters, Little Shop of Horrors and Takeshi’s Castle into a blender, Dead Sushi is what you would end up with. Ooh, and make sure to add in a few outfits and monstrosities that look like discarded villains from the Power Rangers TV show. If that wasn’t crazy enough for you, Keiko is often found musing out loud in her attempt to rationalise what is going on around her, almost as if she’s channelling her inner Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote. And if you want even more craziness, there’s a sushi sex-scene, a few zombies thrown in for good measure, and lots and lots of inventive martial arts action.

The acting and direction is just as nucking futs as the bizarre plot. Fast cuts, rapid body movements, over-aggressively delivered dialogue, and, of course, bad dubbing are all present in Dead Sushi. So much so, even the kissing scenes and eating scenes are accompanied by badly dubbed, squishy sound effects, not to mention the English audio track sounding like the South Park guys doing their best George Takei impressions. And then there’s a scene showing an ancient Japanese kiss… let’s just say ‘two people, one egg’ and leave it at that.

Still, if you can handle all of the above, you will get a lot out of Dead Sushi. It most definitely is not for everybody, but those with a leaning towards Troma films, particularly stuff like Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead and Terror Firmer, will lap up the bat-shit-crazy nature of the film. I mean, what’s not to love about sushi that bites back? Sure, there’s no logic, there’s no sense, there’s no rational trail of thought, but Dead Sushi is a fun, action-packed crazy tale that certain genre fans will love.

Extras: Four featurettes / Trailer

Review: Passion / Cert: 15 / Director: Brian De Palma / Screenplay: Brian De Palma, Natalie Carter / Starring: Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace, Karoline Herfurth / Release Date: Out Now

Whilst one can understand the haste for the English language version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the rush for a remake of Alain Corneau’s final film Crime d’amour (2010) is somewhat less self-evident. However, the successor to 2007’s Redacted, Passion concludes a six year lay-off between films for De Palma, and herein lies the possible explanation for his alacrity: a fevered excitement to tell his own version of a tangled web of conflict between two women whose professional relationship disintegrates into an unruly and hateful passion. Alas, De Palma’s latest outing is closer to the underwhelming lows of The Black Dahlia than the heights of his earlier work.

Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace seem to struggle with an uninspired script, and initially you can’t help wondering whether they were miscast. By the film’s conclusion, though, one is forced to conclude that their performances are contaminated by De Palma’s obsession with and reliance on stylistic flourishes; the characterisation and subtext hindered by so much superficial pandering. This is compounded by the sexualized approach De Palma takes in developing his wicked leading lady played by McAdams; by now a tired trick to get across the message that a character is dark, corrupt and should not to be trusted.

To his credit De Palma creates a definitive American take on Corneau’s crime drama, and he masterfully infuses it with a touch of classic film noir light and shadow. In the film’s fevered conclusion, De Palma looks over his shoulder to the past and channels Hitchcock and Hermann in a way that reminds you of classic American cinema’s enduring charm and spirit.

Yet as Passion unfolds there’s a laziness or lack of self-criticism present. Even in the visually compelling moments, he miscues the plot with an ineffective and misguided attempt to blur the boundaries between reality and dreams that comes across as a cheap and empty parlour trick.

Whilst Passion makes for entertaining viewing, it’s a film that struggle to make an impression that lasts beyond the end credits. It is fated to fall between those cracks in the recesses of the mind, or if you prefer sit dutifully behind Blow Out, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, Carlito’s Way and Carrie, the classics of the De Palma collection.

Extras: None