Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

THE QUEST (1996) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: JENA-CLAUDE VAN DAMME / SCREENPLAY: STEVE KLEIN, PAUL MONES / STARRING: JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME, ROGER MOORE, JAMES REMAR, JANET GUNN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

For his directorial debut in 1996, Jean-Claude Van Damme wisely decided not to stray any distance from the style and genre that made him famous. The Quest follows his character Chris Dubois from leading a gang of New York street urchins in the 1920s to a once-in-a-lifetime marital arts competition in a lost city in Tibet. Along the way, Dubois is kidnapped by pirates, sold into slavery, and meets Roger Moore.

That’s quite the adventure, and it’s the way Van Damme plays it, shooting it as a grand and sweeping escapade complete with epic score. He also seems to have taken inspiration from Hollywood classics of earlier decades, the camera gliding and swooping with abandon, but this mostly comes across as the equivalent of Van Damme shouting at you in all capitals that he is directing a film. When it comes to the lengthy sequence of fights, however, Van Damme shows he was paying attention on set; punches and kicks landing with thuds in the old school way (no Bourne-style confusion here). It’s all very earnest, though we suppose it’s entirely possible that he has his tongue in cheek at some points. Moore is certainly having fun as the refined and very British mercenary Lord Dobbs, but the raised eyebrow comes with sincerity too when required. It’s not the most essential film, even in Van Damme’s career, but it’s generally good fun and fans of the less-bloody end of martial arts beat downs should enjoy it as mildly diverting.

This new 101 Films HD release is in good shape, whether it’s sun-drenched beach scenes or the torch-lit final fights the picture is clear and detailed throughout and there’s nothing to complain about considering the film’s budget and age. For extras we start with a great one, actor Jack McGee sharing anecdotes of working with Moore, the friendship that followed between the two men, as well as the production and shooting of the film. There’s another interview with one of the fighters, Mike Lambert, the ‘Scottish’ contestant. There’s a commentary by martial arts cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema too, as well as a trailer and gallery.

The Quest is not revolutionary nor is it trying to be. If not for it being Van Damme’s directorial debut, it would probably rank lower down his filmography in terms of interest. But it’s mostly unpretentious fun and there’s a lot to be said for that. Add in a few worthwhile extras and this is an easy recommendation, but likely only for fans of the film.

RED HEAT (1988) 4K / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: WALTER HILL / SCREENPLAY: HARRY KLEINER, WALTER HILL, TROY KENNEDY-MARTIN / STARRING: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, JIM BELUSHI, PETER BOYLE, ED O’ROSS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Some directors almost belong to the era that hosted their greatest hits. Walter Hill is one of those guys. The veteran filmmaker has a host of cult favourites under his belt, making a name for himself with ‘80s underground hits like The Warriors and Streets of Fire. Recent Hill features have lacked the flare of his early hits though. 2015’s Tomboy, Hill’s straight to DVD exploitation hark-back, but its flippancy with transgender issues and blatant sexism dated it monstrously.

Flashback to the testosterone-fuelled ‘80s. Muscle men and Cold War-era tensions created a breeding ground for bombastic action thrillers. Its perfect territory for Hill, whose often sympathetic angles on the more disregarded parts of society lent his films more gravitas than many of his contemporaries. In Red Heat, a KGB agent (Schwarzenegger) is sent to Chicago in order to apprehend an escaped drug lord also being hunted by a local cop (Belushi).

Opening with a brawl in a Russian sauna crammed with sweaty muscle dudes pumping iron, Red Heat promises a lot and mostly delivers. The pop art of that opening doesn’t quite carry through the film though, sadly. Hill has other things on offer than sheer camp action, including his signature interest in the complex nature of ‘80s America.

Aside from the well-executed thrills of a decent ‘cops and robbers’ spectacle, Hill uses the buddy-cop structure to offer a layered look at the cultural tensions of the decade. Stacking the Russia/US political tensions on top of an endearing chemistry between two of the decades biggest stars was a great idea. Schwarzenegger is typically dedicated, superb in the action sequences, charming in the quieter moments. Belushi makes for a surprisingly convincing hard-boiled, if wise-cracking, cop, holding his own in shoot-outs Schwarzenegger could do in his sleep.

In other hands, Red Heat could have been skimpy fun, but Hill brings a consummate idea of place/politics and the film benefits for it, just like a disposable Scorsese/Ferrara feature. The mise en scène of downtown Chicago, the steamy underbelly of the city, and all the people who live there, Hill really captures a sense of life. James Horner’s score blends militaristic classic music with bluesy jazz, pulling the neo-noir undertones to the forefront. Characters who might have otherwise been skimmed over feel like a part of the story, if only captured for a brief scene.

As a buddy comedy Red Heat falls short against something like Lethal Weapon. But as a snapshot of the times and a cops and robbers thriller, the film proves far more able. Hill brings social awareness and a sympathetic angle to US/Russian relations, years before he would make films brazenly lacking in that awareness.

Expected Rating: 5 out of 10

DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW – SEASON 4 / CERT: 15 / SHOWRUNNER: PHIL KLEMMER, KETO SHIMIZU / STARRING: CAITY LOTZ, BRANDON ROUTH, DOMINIC PURCELL, MATT RYAN, NICK ZANO, TALA ASHI / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 4TH

Special Features: Two featurettes / Deleted scenes / Gag reel

Having brought Season 3 to a close with a demonic Mallus vs. giant Beebo battle, the ragtag team of Legends are back in action for a fourth season which looks to take the crazed time-travelling antics of Season 3 and turn it up to 11.

Unfortunately for our heroes, Mallus was just the tip of the iceberg as they now have to deal with a whole host of magical and mythical creatures and characters – from the Salem Witch Trials, to a Minotaur, to unicorns, to fairy godmothers, to professional wrestling, and everything in between. Of course, as is ever the case for the Legends, each and every mission involves travelling through time and exploring a host of different periods from the past and the future.

For fans of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, you’ll be well are that the series is the more light-hearted of the Arrowverse shows. And let’s face it, it’s kinda hard to constantly remain po-faced when one week you’re dressed up as a cowboy in the Old West, the next you’re in the ‘70s and trying to convince a young George Lucas to make Star Wars, and the next you’re mingling with pirates and a faux Furby. The point is, Legends more often than not has its tongue firmly within its cheek. Despite that, mind, the show does indeed address some serious topics and is masterful in how it manages to balance out each core ensemble in a way that allows each character to traverse their own arc while simultaneously being a part of the ongoing season-long narrative or MacGuffin.

Sure, it’s easy to be swept up by the sheer imagination of Legends’ time-travelling gimmick and all that that offers up, but the series is first and foremost about some brilliant characters who are all allowed to breathe – and Season 4 is no different. This time out, however, there are a few changes to the Legends line-up, most notably with Matt Ryan’s John Constantine becoming a fully-fledged member of the team. Constantine’s presence is a welcome one, as  the demonic sorts that the Legends often find themselves up against in this season are right up the street of ol’ Hellblazer.

To summarise Legends’ fourth season, you could well say that it’s the most Legends season of Legends yet. As in, it’s usually over-the-top, it’s never afraid to be loud and colourful, inclusion is always a key factor, it constantly features an array of fascinating characters who all bounce off each other brilliantly, and there are some genuine gut-punches of emotion waiting around the corner.

All in all, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s fourth season is fun, thoughtful, and poignant in a way that continually makes it stand out from the ever-expanding landscape of capes ‘n’ tights TV shows.

In terms of additional material, it’s all relatively brief on this home release. Two featurettes clock in at a combined runtime of just eight minutes, while the deleted scenes and gag real are fine for what they are. All of these are decent and always dripping with the sense of fun that so often surrounds Legends, yet some fans may have been hoping for just a little more bonus content to flesh out this release.

NIGHTBREED (1990) / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: CLIVE BARKER / STARRING: CRAIG SHEFFER, DAVID CRONENBERG, ANNE BOBBY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Clive Barker’s controversial follow up to his Hellraiser double bill finally comes together in this director’s cut that seeks to tell the real story that the filmmaker intended to almost 30 years ago. Gone is the ham-fisted approach at turning his lyrical tale of misunderstood ‘monsters’ succumbing to the real horror of man into a hack and slash tale. Instead, we have an almost biblical tale of Boone (Sheffer), a reluctant hero who, once discovering the hidden underground refuge of Midian, becomes the saviour of its freakish inhabitants while mankind proves themselves to be the true monsters.

Words can’t do justice to the difference that this superbly restored version makes to Barker’s visionary tale. Not that the original theatrical cut (also included here) didn’t have its own charm in a way – enough to create a following despite the studio’s misplaced ideas about its true nature. But this really is a whole other film with an altogether better balanced focus on Boone’s journey and the menagerie of creatures that become his family. This is Nightbreed as it was always meant to be, and it’s bloody marvellous.

Given the immense effort that has been put into producing this director’s cut, it stands to reason that no stone had been left unturned in doing so. As a result, this incredible set comes with absolutely everything on board.

While the introduction to Barker’s cut comes with an introduction by the man himself as well as restoration producer Mark Alan Miller, the feature Commentary by the duo really expounds on the process they had to go through in order to find original footage thought to be long lost. It also gives a unique insight into Barker’s tormented experience during the film’s latter production which is otherwise missing from the release as he doesn’t appear on any other features on either disc. The theatrical cut also comes with commentary from critics Adrian J Smith and David Flint.

The second disc really provides what has to be one of the most complete documents of a film ever put to disc, with everything presented by the people involved who talk you through each process in sometimes minute detail. Genuinely, the extensive material included here is just jaw dropping. Tribes of the Moon is the documentary to watch, featuring interviews with the key participants who all provide their side of the story on the film’s production and subsequent bafflingly recut theatrical release. Featurettes back this up, pushing into more detail on subjects from the prosthetics to stop motion, stunt work, editing, matte painting and more, all of which are filled with rare footage and images that would make any fan of the film squee. Then there’s the interviews with the likes of Nightbreed alum Nicholas Vince in Memories of Midian, critic Kat Ellinger and what Arrow set would be complete without Kim Newman schooling us all in film history and Barker’s place in it.

In addition to all of this, there’s also deleted and alternate takes, image galleries, make-up tests, the extended torture scene flashback, rehearsal tests, theatrical trailer, TV Spots and even the original screenplay!

MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (1957) / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: JOSEPH PEVNEY / SCREENPLAY: R. WRIGHT CAMPBELL, IVAN GOFF, BEN ROBERTS / STARRING: JAMES CAGNEY, DOROTHY MALONE, JANE GREER, JIM BACKUS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Man of a Thousand Faces is a biopic of Lon Chaney, one of the key silent movie stars and an actor known for his versatility in using make-up to create completely different characters from one film to the next. Chaney is renowned in horror circles for terrifying early cinema audiences with portrayals of Quasimodo, the Phantom and, in lost thriller London after Midnight, a vampire.

Just over 25 years after his death in 1930, James Cagney portrayed Chaney in this film, which plays fast and loose with the facts of the actor’s life. At the time of shooting, Cagney was nearing 60 years of age, older than Lon ever was, and physically doesn’t resemble him at all. Dorothy Malone plays Chaney’s first wife, Cleva Creighton, who is initially reduced here to almost pantomime villain, despite the complexity of their real relationship. Most of the people around Chaney are really only here for Cagney to bounce off, and even at two hours in length, the film only picks at the surface level of who Chaney was.

That said, there’s still much to enjoy and it’s a handsomely mounted production, directed by Joseph Pevney (who would later helm numerous classic Star Trek episodes) with unobtrusive style. The film is reverential of Chaney’s ability whilst at the same time not seeking to beatify him or smooth away his edges completely. This is a classical Hollywood character study that functions first as entertainment and second as biography and is more successful if you separate it from telling a true story and admire it instead as melodrama. Cagney might be arguably too old but he was nevertheless incapable of a bad performance and so it is here, working hard to manage a balance between presenting all aspects of Chaney in the script and still maintaining audience sympathy.

This new release from Arrow presents the film in fine shape. It’s not an obscure film but a big Hollywood picture and as a result, there’s no damage to note and the print is sharp, clear and vivid. For extras, there’s a commentary with genre expert Tim Lucas that, whilst there are occasional pauses as action unfolds, is packed with information about both the film and the real story behind it. Kim Newman appears in the sole featurette and it’s a good one, exploring Chaney’s career in the context of Hollywood at the time as well as his legacy. There’s a trailer and image gallery included and the first pressing booklet features an essay by Vic Pratt. It’s a good film and for anyone interested in its subject or partial to the Hollywood biopic approach comes warmly recommended.

HAIR (1979) / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MILOŠ FORMAN / SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL WELLER / STARRING: JOHN SAVAGE, TREAT WILLIAMS, BEVERLY D’ANGELO / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Hair was a film adapted from the anti-war musical of the late 1960s, which became known for tracks such as Age of Aquarius, Good Morning Starshine, and Let the Sunshine In. Another point of interest was the film, directed by Miloš Forman, came between his acclaimed films One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) and Ragtime (1981). Now getting a bumper Blu-ray treatment, we take a look at the new release…

The film opens on Claude (Savage), a young man who is visiting the Army office in New York from Oklahoma having been drafted into the Army to serve in Vietnam. Claude then has a chance meeting with George (Williams) and his merry band of hippies. The friendship then takes Claude on a (figurative and literal) trip into 1960s counterculture: drugs, free love, racial equality and many more new ideas and experiences for him, which even help him to find to love with socialite Sheila (D’Angelo). However, when Claude enlists for the war out of spite, his new friends must race to his military station before everything changes forever.

What drives the film are the characters Claude and George; their relationship and the affect they have on each other; you see the small town boy Claude have his mind opened to a much wider world (some of assisted it by acid, some of it not) and seeing that those in authority are not always right, meanwhile, we see George, who is lead hippy and the epitome of counterculture, brought down a peg or two when he has to visit his very square parents for help. But, as a consequence of such strong leads, other characters simply fade into the background. Elsewhere, the some of the songs are staged to a tee from Age of Aquarius (which includes dancing horses!) to Let the Sunshine In which plays out over the film’s ending. In addition to the film, extras include: an interview with legendary director Nicholas Ray on his role as the General in the film, a short documentary on San Francisco from Anthony Stern, soundtracked by Pink Floyd, and Aquarius, a psychedelic animation.

In short, Hair is a film with strong leads with some strong songs in its soundtrack but it will only pique the interest of those who are already fans.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JOHN LANDIS / STARRING: DAVID NAUGHTON, JENNY AGUTTER, GRIFFIN DUNNE, JOHN WOODVINE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

At almost forty years old, John Landis’ dark comedy horror pushed the boundaries of makeup and special effects (so much so that film helped champion the creation of the Academy Award for Best Make-Up, for which legend Rick Baker won the inaugural Oscar) and still manages to influence modern TV and film from Being Human to Psychoville. Now, An American Werewolf in London is finally getting the sumptuous Blu-ray treatment courtesy of Arrow Video, with extras galore.

American tourists David (Naughton) and Jack (Dunne), ignoring the warnings of suspicious Yorkshire folk (which include Brian Glover, David Schofield, and Rik Mayall), go off-road and are violently attacked by a wild animal, with only David surviving. With David rescued and returned to London, he is taken care of in hospital by Nurse Alex (Agutter), which turns into romance. However, David is then visited by gory visions of Jack, who warns him that he will turn into a werewolf at the next full moon. David tries to ignore the warnings, but when the full moon does hit, both himself and London will never quite be the same again.

An American Werewolf in London is still a remarkable piece of cinema. Its horror was revolutionary at the time (the minutes-long werewolf transformation scene took over a week to painstakingly film correctly), its gore was injected with humour (Jack’s rotting visions gradually get funnier and funnier), and its incredibly well set out for humour, panic, and sadness.

In addition to this brilliant film are some equally brilliant special features: 4K and HD remasters of the film, audio commentary from David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, lots of ‘making of’ features, interviews with Landis, the cast and crew, as well as features on the director’s experience of working in the UK, and on the lasting legacy of the werewolf film (particularly those from Universal Studios).

In short, some films deserve such masterful recognition; An American Werewolf in London, a much-loved film by cast crew and audience in equal measure, is up there with the best.

GHOST STORY (1974) / DIRECTOR: STEPHEN WEEKS / SCREENPLAY: PHILIP NORMAN, ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF, STEPHEN WEEKS / STARRING: ANTHONY BATE, LARRY DANN, MARIANNE FAITHFULL, PENELOPE KEITH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When three college friends reunite at a spooky country mansion, the already strained friendship is pushed to its limits when strange events occur and people seemingly from another time begin to appear. Before long, the hapless Talbot (Dann) slowly finds himself becoming as crazy as the sanity-challenged inhabitants of the asylum that seems to be pushing itself into his reality.

If, like this reviewer, you were expecting John Irvin’s exemplary spooky tale featuring Fred Astaire and Alice Krige, then you’ll be somewhat disappointed. Not that Stephen Weeks’ stylistically verbose decent into madness doesn’t have its plus points, but it is more like a feature-length episode of Tales of the Unexpected than a tour-de-force in chills. Not much more than an interesting footnote in British cinematic history.

Where this release really excels is in the bonus feature department. Yes, while the added features contain an accomplished Making-Of documentary, theatrical trailer, a 2005 Commentary track featuring writer/director Stephen Weeks, and frankly odd alternate credits, the disc really serves as a kind of time capsule of director Weeks’ work.

During the Making-Of we discover that the British-based film was actually filmed in India and that following their time in the country, Weeks decided to set his next film – The Bengal Lancers – there. Sadly, due to a dodgy financier and even dodgier behaviour by a technician at Technicolor, the film fell apart after filming only 30 minutes of footage. All of it is included here, featuring some star turns by Christopher Lee and Michael York and it’s a fascinating bit of cinematic history that almost works as a short film (albeit with some major narrative holes).

Test footage for Gawain and the Green Knight is also included (shot three years before the final film was made) along with a black and white commercials reel and The Chelsea Cobbler, an almost Lynchian advert for a shoemaker in London. Then there’s no less than seven short films made by Weeks between 1965 and 1968, which evolve from amateur (Owen’s War) to experimental (Flesh) before becoming incredibly accomplished (1917).

The sheer volume of material from the filmmaker here is unparalleled, to the point where it almost feels like Ghost Story was an excuse to archive his work for posterity. Not that anyone should have a problem with that as it’s great to see the wealth of his work during the period leading up to the film, even if they ultimately eclipse the value of the featured film itself.

BORLEY RECTORY / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ASHLEY THORPE / STARRING: JONATHAN RIGBY, REECE SHEARSMITH, ANNABEL BATES, JULIAN SANDS, NICHOLAS VINCE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The story of the most haunted house in Britain, Borley Rectory, has been told many times on screen. Ashley Thorpe’s part-animated feature tells the tale in a mesmerising fashion.

A succession of clergy have moved into the rectory over the years, all leaving after experiencing disturbances. Paranormal investigator/debunker Harry Price (Rigby) and journalist V. C. Wall (Shearsmith) decide to get to the bottom of what’s been going on over decades at the house, with terrifying consequences.

Borley Rectory was made to have a distinct look. The actors were all filmed on green screen, with everything else added digitally. It’s also rendered in black and white and made to look as if it were a film made in the thirties or forties. Remarkably, the result works to give a real otherworldly atmosphere. Without resorting to jump scares or other ‘modern’ tricks, Thorpe manages to build an atmosphere of dread in which the merest shadow can send a shiver down the spine. Its unique look may not be to everyone’s taste, but perseverance pays off to bring a thoroughly entertaining documentary-style piece.

Where the Borley Rectory release excels is in the special features. A feature-length making-of piece is longer than the actual film and doesn’t disappoint. With input from most of the cast and crew, it’s tells the fascinating story of brining the movie to the screen. No stone is left unturned in the journey from idea to finished product – from the ups to the many downs. It makes you appreciate the work put into the finished production even more. Other extra items include various question and answer sessions from film festivals, and Shearsmith and Rigby discussing various aspects of horror and Gothic at the British Library. There’s an enthralling look at the process of animating the backgrounds and such, too. The fact this was pretty much a one-man job by Thorpe is a testament to his tenacity and skill. A section focusing on the influence of the Usborne Ghost book popular in the seventies – and just re-issued to terrify a new generation – will invoke nostalgia in people of certain age (of which this writer is) and hearing about how the book came about, and the philosophy of the company’s owner (Peter Usborne) certainly makes you want to support them. Thorpe’s previous short films are also included. If only every release had this wealth of added value; Nucleus Films need to be applauded for going all-in for here. On the quality of the extras alone, Borley Rectory is in the running for Blu-ray of the year.