Category Archives: DVD Reviews

Reviews of the latest DVD releases!

The Incubus (1982, DVD Review)

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theincubusDVDDirected by John Hough

Cast: John Cassavettes, Kerrie Keane, Helen Hughes, Erin Flannery, Duncan McIntosh, John Ireland

Scorpion Releasing / Rated R / Region 0 / 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen / English Mono / 91 minutes

Disc Extras: Watch this in “Katarina’s Nightmare Theater” Format with our Hostess Katarina Leigh Waters or Play Feature Only / Original Trailer

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“The Dreams. The Nightmares. The Desires. The Fears. The Mystery. The Revelation. The Warning. He is the Destroyer.” What the hell does that mean? Read the taglines on the cover art of The Incubus, and I’m sure you’ve got some serious questions marks going on in your head too. It’s a big telltale sign regarding what’s going on this movie. It’s a jumbled up mess of a flick that can’t make up its mind. Psychological thriller? Slasher? Sex movie? Monster movie? The Incubus is a great example of a movie doomed from inception to creation. But is it that bad? Can something good be derived from this botched creation? Continue reading →

Sexcula (1974, DVD Review)

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sexculaDVDDirector:Bob Hollowich

Cast: , , , , , , 

Impulse Pictures / Region Free / Unrated / 1.33:1 Fullscreen / 2.0 Mono / 86 minutes

Extras: Theatrical trailer / Liner notes

BUY FROM TLA VIDEO

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The 1970s and early ’80s brought us some wonderfully weird adult cinema. Back then—when you could still call them “films” without it being colloquial—porn filmmakers went balls-to-the-wall with storylines and a lot of the time the sex took a backseat to the nuttiness. That could definitely be said for the long-thought lost Canadian porn parody Sexcula which was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia (GO CANUCKS!). Bizarre doesn’t begin to describe Bob Hollowich’s (aka John Holbrook who went on to work as camera operator and director of photography on mainstream films) sex-filled gothic nod to the Universal Monsters, starring Marilyn Chambers lookalike Debbie Collins who only did this one movie. Continue reading →

Murder-Set-Pieces (2004, DVD Review)

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murdersetpiecesunratedDVDDirector: Nick Palumbo

Cast: , , 

Fright Flix Productions / All Region / Unrated / 1.85:1 Non-Anamorphic Widescreen / 5.1 Dolby Digital / 90 minutes

DVD Extras: Introduction from Nick Palumbo / Commentary from Palumbo and Sven Garrett, moderated by Ultra VIolent Magazine’s Art Ettinger / Deleted Scenes / Linear Notes / Gallery of Outrage / Production Photos / Trailers

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Unfortunately some good or important films are mired in controversy. Not just the typical censorship bullshit that comes along with exploitation and horror cinema, but the kind of strife where the filmmaker is actively shunned by his peers and hated by fans. A few years ago I was part of the Rue Morgue forums and there was an uproar when Nick Palumbo come on to promote his new film Murder-Set-Pieces. He rubbed people the wrong way because of his perceived spamming, was accused of using multiple accounts to “troll” the M-S-P threads, etc. Because of this (and other things) Palumbo was one of the most hated men in horror. Continue reading →

Baise-Moi (2000, DVD Review)

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AV_DeadlyBlessing_DVD.inddaka Fuck Me

Director(s): Virginie Despentes and Coraline Trinh Thi

Cast: Raffaëla Anderson, Karen Lancaume

Arrow Films / PAL Region 2 / Rating 18 / 1.66:1 widescreen / FRENCH 2.0 stereo / ENGLISH subtitles / 74 minutes

Disk Extras: The Making of Baise-moi – a forty minute documentary featuring behind the scenes images and interviews with directors Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi as well as Karen Bach and Raffaëla Anderson, the stars of the film / Q&A recording with the directors / Original theatrical trailer / Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Joe Wilson / Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by author Kier-la Janisse and ‘The History of Baise-moi’ by Virginie Despentes

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The rape/revenge genre is a celebrated part of exploitation cinema. It is, of course, a very polarizing subject matter since the atrocities of sexual assault on women is a very serious problem in reality. The one saving grace for me is that I believe the formula to be ultimately empowering to women. They are attacked and violated and instead of running to the authorities (men), they use the power inside themselves to exact bloody revenge. But what happens when the women lose control and allow their savage sides to take over? Co-directors Virginie Despentes and Coraline Trinh Thi take us there to see just that. Continue reading →