Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

PROJECT X / CERT: UNRATED / DIRECTOR: WILLIAM CASTLE / SCREENPLAY: EDMUND MORRIS / STARRING: CHRISTOPHER GEORGE, GRETA BALDWIN, HENRY JONES / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

William Castle’s reputation as a genre icon and all-round horror maestro is unquestionable. Yet films like Project X call to mind a whole other element of Castle’s career: his innate ambition. Consider Castle’s theatre tricks – the skeletons on wires hurled through screenings of House on Haunted Hill, the electric shock-chairs for The Tingler – and you see a man mischievously passionate about that bang-for-buck filmmaking ethic. It makes sense then, that in one of his final directorial efforts, he would try for something truly special.

Christopher George stars as Hagan Arnold, a secret agent frozen after almost dying in a plane crash on the way home from his latest mission. Before crashing, Arnold messaged his superiors to inform them Sino Asia (an East Asian conglomerate constantly at war with the West) had a new deadly weapon. With time of the essence, a crack squad of scientists revive the agent and attempt to extract the information which has been buried deep in his subconscious.

1968 was one of the biggest years in sci-fi cinema history. Planet of the Apes shocked and enthralled audiences the world over, and Kubrick’s 2001 blew the doors off expectation of what a sci-fi film could be. While not nearly as accomplished as those films, Castle’s Project X is arguably the most ambitious, forward-thinking, daring piece of film he ever accomplished. It certainly didn’t deserve to be relegated to the B-side of a double bill with Barbarella.

One of the things that stands out is the amount of cool concepts at work. Cryogenics, false memory, artificial personalities… it’s crammed with intriguing ideas. Not least that in order to delicately retrieve Hagen’s memories, the scientists engineer a “Matrix” of the 60s (Hagen used to be a lecturer on 60s culture) in which to play out a ‘cops and robbers’ scenario they hope will help him discover the information himself. So it’s a snapshot of the 60s inside a snapshot of a future where crime and violence haven’t been seen for generations. In this way, Project X feels a lot deeper than many of Castle’s other films – it speaks to the times and does so scathingly. It’s also a nice contrast to the tongue-in-cheek spy films of the swinging 60s.

Aside from being a great sci-fi / crime caper, it’s a gorgeous cult experience. Whenever Hagen has a flashback to his ordeal in Sino Asia, the film takes a trippy turn. Psychedelics were hardly rare in the 60s, but the way in which Castle uses them to cover up the more ambitious or badly executed sci-fi landscapes is stunning. Cartoon titan Hanna-Barbera (the folks who gave us Scooby-Doo) were drafted in to create the psychedelic sequences and did a fantastic job. Luridly coloured, bizarre, trippy, extravagant, and frankly gorgeous, it’s sequences like these, along with the high-concept sci-fi, which make Project X a surprise treat from a master of the craft at the end of his life.

THE ZOMBIE ARMY / CERT: UNRATED / DIRECTOR: BETTY STAPLEFORD / SCREENPLAY: ROGER SCEARCE / STARRING: CINDIE LOU ACKER, JODY AMATO, MICHELLE ANDERSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Set up in 2013, Phantom Pain Films is a low-key indie procurer of nasty, trashy, low-budget cult artefacts. With only a few reclaimed releases under their belt, the latest is The Zombie Army, a 1991 schlocky zombie film directed by Betty Stapleford.

Even by 90’s standards, The Zombie Army falls into some of the most dated mental health horror tropes. “Crazies” rape and screech via woeful performances, daft scripting robs the film of sincerity, stupid mistakes pile up quickly and the film just grates before it’s even really even begun. One of the first on-screen decent performances comes from Stapleford herself, here playing a female army captain with some cutting words for her dubious male superiors – “you won’t give ’em a chance just because you’ve got a dick and they don’t. Let me tell you captain, my soldiers are every bit as good as yours and they can get a dick any day of the week!” More of this would have made the film a fun twist on hyper-masc army stories, but the quotable parts start and stop there.

After a dull first half which drags its heels en route to the most saleable part of the film, The Zombie Army unleashes its undead on a squad of badass female soldiers. The pace picks up, the lighting and camera work is more interesting, pyrotechnics come into play, grenades fly, and squibs go off left right and centre. Whatever budget Stapleford had, she clearly reserved it for the last act. It’s just a shame that the bumbling, predominantly male, characters are so painful to watch that you might not make it that far into the film.

Shot with unsteady hands and bad cameras, the film looks and feels like a high school project or a teenage passion project, minus the passion. Films like Evil Dead, Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell, and many of the films on the Video Nasties List are testament to practical effects and guerrilla filmmaking. The Zombie Army just doesn’t have enough of those home-grown shoestring budget charms to stand out from the crowd. Worse, its resurrection in 2019 seems pointless.

The Zombie Army’s role as a cult curio is questionable. Sure it’s an early 90’s garage horror from a female director, about the sins of a man-led army, but it’s not savvy enough to have a cultural dialogue and not fun enough to merit a watch for pure escapism.

Trash is trash and The Zombie Army should have stayed where its corpses belong: the grave.

AND SOON THE DARKNESS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: ROBERT FUEST / SCREENPLAY: TERRY NATION, BRIAN CLEMENS / STARRING: MICHELLE DOTRICE, PAMELA FRANKLIN, SANDOR ELÈS, JOHN NETTLETON / RELEASE DATE: 14TH OCTOBER

Two carefree young British women are enjoying a freewheeling cycling holiday through rural France, when they go their separate ways following a petty squabble. Jane’s efforts to track down and make up with her missing friend Cathy lead her to quiz several uncommunicative local characters for information, but no-one seems to be in a hurry to help her. As she becomes ever more worried about Cathy’s fate, Jane has to decide which of the residents she should trust, and which might be implicated in her partner’s disappearance.

Co-written by British genre TV stalwarts Terry Nation (Blake’s 7) and Brian Clemens (The Professionals), And Soon the Darkness remains a neglected gem of early seventies lo-fi genre cinema. Within a few years, the two writers would fall out in a bitter row about which of them was responsible for inventing the post-apocalyptic BBC series Survivors; a dispute that led Clemens to launch an abortive court case against Nation. On the strength of this cinematic outing, it’s a shame that the two were unwilling to collaborate again in the future.

Given that the film has no shortage of shots of pretty young women astride pushbikes in tight shorts, the cinematography is far from salacious. Instead, the camera focuses on bringing to the fore the sense of the travellers traversing the neverending empty roads of the underpopulated hinterlands of the French interior. There are plenty of evocative images as the camera frames the cyclists, Citroens and mopeds making their languorous way along the endlessly straight country roads of this unnamed part of France. It’s a place that appears enticing and malevolent at the same time.

As the petulant but appealing fun-seeker Cathy, Michelle Dotrice makes an immediate impression on screen. Impulsive and spontaneous, Cathy is looking for kicks wherever she can find them and is irritated that Jane wants to keep to a strict route plan and clock up the kilometres. Yet the weight of the movie rests on the shoulders of Pamela Franklin. She delivers a fantastic performance as a young woman trying to keep her panic in check while she confronts a whole series of fateful decisions in a place that has shifted from picturesque to menacing.

There’s some great supporting character work in this too, including a well-judged turn by Hanna Maria Pravda as Madame Lassal, real enigmatic charm from Sandor Elès as the mysterious Paul, and some unsettling displays of concern and hospitality from Clare Kelly as a local schoolmistress. It’s all very well plotted, with many false leads, twists and reveals along the way. It is true that some of the characters are unnecessarily secretive, but it’s a reasonable narrative conceit in this context. All tension would evaporate if everyone Jane met immediately revealed their true natures.

Most of And Soon the Darkness takes place in the bright sunlight and balm of a warm summer’s day (the implied impending darkness having nothing to do with a loss of daylight). Director Robert Fuest marshals the material with confidence, making the most of evocative locations in the Loire Valley and the talents of a small cast. The striking closing shot, looking down through a mud-spattered caravan skylight as the heavens open, is an underappreciated classic “moment” in Seventies genre cinema, and remains hauntingly bleak.

The film was remade, reset in Argentina, in 2010, in a more bombastic update that lacked much of the immersive atmosphere and sense of place that Fuest was able to bring to the screen. The 4K remaster for this new Blu-ray release of the original looks and sounds great, delivering a crisp and clean presentation of a terrific, atmospheric thriller and keeps-you-guessing whodunnit that has lost none of its impact in the decades since it was released.

Special features: Audio commentary by Robert Fuest and Brian Clemens; audio commentary by film historian Troy Howarth; reflections on the film by genre historian and author Kim Newman

SALO, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: PIER PAOLO PASOLINI / SCREENPLAY: SERGIO CITTI, PIER PAOLO PASOLINI / STARRING: PAOLO BONACELLI, GIORGIO CATALDI, UMBERTO PAOLO QUINTAVALLE, ALDO VALETTI / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

One of the most notoriously shocking, depraved and controversial films ever made, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom follows the debauched exploits of four wealthy, powerful (and, in one particular case, incredibly creepy) men in their pursuit of pleasure. Their self-recruited “guards” kidnap a host of teenage boys and girls, with the men choosing their favourites to participate in a perverse ritual. Over a period of four months, the hostages are subjected to mental, physical and sexual torture, and, eventually, murder.

Aided by four middle-aged prostitutes who set the scene by telling stories designed to inspire the ringleaders to commit whatever heinous act they can think of, the humiliation and punishments become increasingly vile throughout the film’s four distinct acts. With the teenagers locked away in a palatial mansion in the middle of nowhere, existing for no reason other than to fulfil the twisted desires of those in charge, it’s uncompromisingly and relentlessly bleak from beginning to end. Despite being nearly 45 years old, Salo still makes for some extremely uncomfortable and stomach-churning viewing. Torture porn from before torture porn even existed, this is way more perverse than anything your Eli Roths or James Wans have ever come up with, and it definitely isn’t something you’d want to watch with Grandma on a Sunday afternoon.

The first disc in this set offers the chance to watch either the original Italian-language version or the English dub (which, it has to be said, can be unintentionally hilarious at times) in a stunning HD remaster which has previously been unreleased in the UK, along with a newly-recorded audio commentary by film critic Kat Ellinger, who examines Salo‘s achievements and discusses the finer points of its narrative.

Much has been said about the underlying historical and political themes of the film, and of its place in the arthouse / horror world, and disc two rounds up a wealth of extra features that concentrate on the more academic side of things. These in-depth deconstructions of the ins and outs of “films as art” often come across as nothing more than pretentious waffle, and that’s very much the case here too, but there are plenty of other features from the archives that are worth seeing. 1981’s 100-minute documentary Whoever Says the Truth Shall Die looks at the life and bizarre death of Salo director Pier Paolo Pasolini, and there are several 20 to 40-minute segments with behind the scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew. Most of these that will be familiar to owners of previous releases, but nevertheless they’re all fascinating and more than worthy of inclusion.

TOYS ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: STANLEY H. BRASSLOFF / SCREENPLAY: STANLEY H. BRASSLOFF, MACS McAREE / STARRING: MARCIA FORBES, HARLAN CARY POE, EVELYN KINGSLEY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Toys Are Not For Children tells the story of a young woman whose severe daddy issues send her down a dark and murky path into prostitution. Psychologically traumatised as a young child and yearning for the love of her absentee father, Jamie inhabits an infantile world surrounded by toys. Obsessed by their presence and having grown increasingly attached to the ones that her father continues to send to her, she’s unable to consummate her new marriage with her love-struck husband. A chance encounter with an ageing sex worker soon blossoms into friendship but, when Jamie’s descent into prostitution allows her to seek out her most disturbing erotic fantasies, things slowly begin to spiral out of control.

From a story by Stanley H. Brassloff and a script by Macs McAree, Toys Are Not For Children is an interesting product from the heyday of American exploitation. It’s bold, crass and full of bizarre moments that you certainly wouldn’t be able to get away with now, which undeniably adds to the peculiar charm of this quirky independent film. There’s an almost camp-like quality to the performances thanks to a script which throws subtlety out of the window in favour of over-dramatic displays of raw emotion. Although the acting can often be wooden and the directing is occasionally clunky, its brisk 85 minute running time benefits the film greatly as it wastes very little time when setting up the action.

With our protagonist being so detached from reality, it’s hard to take the film too seriously, which is probably for the best when considering the subject matter. What could have been a dark, sleazy tale of emotional abuse and trauma instead comes across as so off-kilter that it’s almost verging on comedy. It’s hard not to laugh when events become progressively more absurd, as one does suspect that Brassloff’s direction is purposely trying to have a little fun with such a shocking narrative. By the time the end credits roll, the majority of audiences will be left with their jaws on the floor while others will undoubtedly be in hysterics at what they’ve just witnessed.

A true product of its time, Toys Are Not For Children isn’t anywhere near as dark as one would expect, but that’s not to say it isn’t a deeply twisted tale of sexuality. Whether its main purpose was to shock or to make sweeping statements on femininity hardly even matters as what it ultimately does is entrance all those who watch. A true oddity that has its fair share of admirers, this is the very definition of cult exploitation. With the Blu-ray release containing a host of interesting extras that range from a video essay into femininity, perversion and play to a comprehensive look into the life of director Stanley H. Brasloff, there’s plenty here that’ll give both fans and newcomers alike all the context they need.

Special edition contents: Brand new 2K restoration,brand new audio commentary with Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, newly-filmed appreciation by Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower, ‘Dirty’ Dolls: Femininity, Perversion and Play – a brand new video essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, original theme song “Lonely Am I”newly transferred from the original 45-RPM vinyl single, original trailer, reversible sleeve

THREE FILMS FROM SAMMO HUNG / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: YUEN WOO-PING / SREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: SAMMO HUNG, SING CHEN, JAMES TIEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Although lesser known to international audiences, Sammo Hung is a powerhouse of action cinema, having studied and suffered with fellow Peking Opera alumni Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. Once said to have the power of an elephant with the speed of a monkey, he is a once-in-a-generation character. Eureka Entertainment presents a fantastic trio of his early films on Blu-Ray, in what is a great introduction to the Hong Kong legend.

The first in the package is Sammo’s directorial debut: 1977’s The Iron-Fisted Monk. Sammo plays the brilliantly-named Rice Pounder Six, who is training at the Shaolin temple to gain revenge on the Manchus – responsible for his Uncle’s death, they’re a ridiculously evil ethnic minority who are shown bullying kids, beating people up and raping women, led by bad guy extraordinaire Fung Hark-On. Unusually for a Hong Kong movie of this era, the prolonged rape scene is very brutal and uncomfortable, but really makes you feel satisfied when the villain is inevitably defeated. With most of the film shot on location at Golden Harvest studios, it produces a claustrophobic but encapsulating appeal. Not Sammo’s finest work, but there’s still a lot to admire.

Next, we get The Magnificent Butcher (1979), directed by Yuen Woo Ping and featuring Sammo as the real life Butcher Wing. It features familiar beats of the genre, with a drunken beggar, mistaken identity and Fung Hark-On as a slimy villain once again. What stands out is how intricate the choreography is – one battle, featuring Yuen Biao, consists of seven techniques in one take, something which is unheard of in modern action filmmaking.

1987’s Eastern Condors, also directed by the big man himself, is a rare genre departure. A homage to The Dirty Dozen, it features a group of criminals tasked with destroying a munitions dump in Vietnam. Sammo is at his slimmest point of his career here, placing an emphasis on high kicking techniques. Again featuring Yuen Biao, it contains references to many classic Vietnam films but, of course, with its own brand of action that only Hong Kong cinema can deliver. Yuen Wah (another Peking Opera school graduate) is great as the villain, a twitchy general with an unusual fighting style. It’s brutal, uncompromising and unique, just like Sammo.

All three discs are well restored and offer an English dub or original Cantonese track with subtitles. They contain Sammo Hung interviews, which are interesting but let down by his lack of articulate English. The audio commentaries, which feature Frank Djeng on Iron-Fisted Monk and Mike Leeder on the other two films, are full of interesting facts but, it has to be said, they don’t match Bey Logan’s work in this field. With interviews with Yuen Woo Ping and Yuen Wah rounding things off, this is probably Eureka’s strongest offering yet, a company that specialises in packages for true film fans who yearn for quality in the current streaming fog.

AT LAST THE 1948 SHOW / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: IAN FORDYCE / STARRING: JOHN CLEESE, TIM BROOKE-TAYLOR, GRAHAM CHAPMAN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

There’s an old saying in the entertainment industry that an overnight success can take decades of hard work to make happen. For example, many of us think that classic comedy shows such as Monty Python’s Flying Circus and The Goodies simply materialised on our screens, the talented comedians from both shows simply being so good that they could come from nowhere.

At Last The 1948 Show is a 1967 TV show featuring the likes of Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Marty Feldman and Aimi MacDonald. It’s the show that some of the UK’s greatest comic talents did before they got famous, and it’s filled with tiny signs of what’s to come.

The box set contains all ten surviving shows plus two reconstructed episodes. These are mostly audio over an image of the script, with the odd bit of actual footage added in where they can. This is a little jarring at times but the restoration is mostly superb. Great care has been made to find and bring back as much as they can.

The collection is also jammed with features, including a fascinating look into what it takes to restore old shows like this. There’s also a detailed booklet filled with information on the show. Extras also include pieces from both Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor, both of which provide context and insight.

As for the material itself, some of it is classic Python in all but name, other pieces are early Goodies sketches, though with less energy than you’d expect. Feldman is a treasure throughout and his comic skill makes the show stand out. Some of the sketches are very much of their time and simply don’t work; tastes have moved on, no matter how skilled the comedians are. Aimi MacDonald is mostly relegated to standing in the corner and looking pretty, which is as boring as it is old fashioned. Mostly though, it’s funny. Although you may have seen it all before, as it’s been imitated so many times.

Still there’s plenty here that, had the BBC actually looked after the footage better, could have easily become part of the pantheon of famous sketches and jokes we associate with the likes of John Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Students of British comedy will consider this set to be a collection of rare treasures, whereas the rest of us will find a mixed bag of brilliant ideas let down slightly by the fact that they are decades old and the context has been lost.

A gem for some, a curiosity for the rest.