October 27, 2005

Welcome back to the Late Show. It's been a few weeks since my last column and I apologize, but the combination of unusually wet autumn weather and an antiquated farmhouse (i.e. Stately Mills Manor) has resulted in a number of time consuming (and damp) distractions. Well, the damage has now been contained, the pets have been saved, and I'm back with some quick takes on a bunch of recent double features, film-geek essential DVD boxed sets, and a couple of cult TV shows.

Let's get this party rolling…

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What looks to be the last gasp of MGM's "Midnight Movies" line (these discs were originally supposed to ship last Spring) has hit the shelves, and among them the post-Apocalyptic double bill of PANIC IN YEAR ZERO/THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1962/1964).

PANIC IN YEAR ZERO stars and is directed by acclaimed actor Ray Milland, who, with an obviously meager bankroll, manages to craft a tense, grim little thriller. Although naïve about the realities of an all out nuclear war, the film does a good job of examining how fragile most peoples' veneer of civilization is when faced with catastrophe. Great performances from the entire cast, including pop idol Frankie Avalon as Milland's teenage son, help the viewer maintain the necessary suspension of disbelief.

MGM provides a perfectly balanced B&W transfer in the original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, and it is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Sound is in the original mono, but the dialogue is clear and the intentionally ironic, upbeat jazz score is quite robust. The original theatrical trailer is also included.

LAST MAN ON EARTH is the first film adaptation of Richard Matheson's classic novel, I am Legend (predating the 1971 Charlton Heston vehicle, THE OMEGA MAN by nearly a decade), and stars a genuine film legend in the titular role: none other than the incomparable Vincent Price.

The film follows the book fairly faithfully with Price as the last normal human man on a plague-devastated Earth overrun by vampires. Price gives a somber, subdued performance thankfully devoid of his trademark ham, and the low budget filming in Italy conveys the post-Apocalyptic setting adequately.

MGM provides another solid B&W transfer in the original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, and it is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Sound is in the original mono. This is by far the best version of this movie available on DVD. Avoid "budget label" versions of this great flick, as they're often framed incorrectly or derived from poor-quality TV prints.

Two better than average Atom Age gems for one low price. Highly recommended.

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Another recent Midnight Movie release is the vaguely related double bill of VOODOO ISLAND/THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE (1957/1959), two lesser low budget drive-in favorites from the Fifties.

Reginald LeBorg's VOODOO ISLAND stars legendary horror star Boris Karloff in a rare, non-villainous role, as the leader of a group of adventurers that travel to the titular island in an effort to determine the fate of a previous expedition. Woman-eating plants and voodoo-practicing natives are among the South Pacific island's perils, while familiar character actors Elisha Cook and Rhodes Reason fill out the otherwise unmemorable cast. Hawaiian location shooting adds a bit of gloss to this lackluster adventure, but it's really a pretty weak movie.

MGM provides the usual high-quality transfer, in this case in the full screen "Academy" ratio, along with the original mono soundtrack.

The second feature on this double feature disc is the somewhat more entertaining supernatural thriller, THE FOUR SKULLS OF JONATHAN DRAKE, with a twisty, melodramatic plot about headhunters and a sinister family curse. Classic Hollywood screen heavy Henry Daniell turns in a late-career performance here as an evil doctor, and his charisma helps keep the low budget, stage-bound feature intriguing and interesting during its hour and ten minute running time.

As one expects by now from this line, the transfer is rock solid, presented full-frame with the original mono soundtrack. No other extras are on this disc.

Neither of these flicks are masterpieces, but considering the price, it's still a pretty good deal for fans of Fifties schlock.

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The best double feature disc of the year is Mondo Macabro's THE DEATHLESS DEVIL/TARKAN VERSUS THE VIKINGS (1972/1971). These deliriously insane films from Turkey's golden age of bizarro pop cinema are hugely entertaining and hysterically funny, with plots, acting and production values that would have made Ed Wood proud. Grab a six pack and some popcorn and dig in!

THE DEATHLESS DEVIL is an unauthorized remake of the 1940 Republic movie serial THE MYSTERIOUS DR. SATAN. It chronicles the adventures of two-fisted costumed super hero Copperhead (the unfortunately named Kunt Tulgar) who pits his formidable sideburns against the evil machinations of the astoundingly moustached Dr Satan and his shiny cardboard robot. Hilarity ensues.

TARKAN VERSUS THE VIKINGS is the fourth in a series of films based on a popular Turkish comic book. Here, the wandering heroic Hun Tarkan (Kartal Tibet) and his dog, Kurt, come into conflict with about a dozen of the goofiest-looking Vikings ever seen on film and their rubber octopus god. Lots of poorly choreographed swordplay, hot barbarian gals, weird facial hair and insanely inappropriate music cribbed from American films all combine to make this my new favorite movie.

Neither film on this disc looks all that great, as the original negatives are long gone, destroyed years ago. They appear to have been culled from tape masters, but they're more than watchable.

Both flicks are presented in their original Turkish, with English subtitles, and each film is accompanied by informative on-screen liner notes. The real gem on the disc, though, is another great Mondo Macabro documentary, this time on Turkish pop cinema. Featuring interviews with numerous Turkish matinee idols and packed with clips from some of the weirdest movies imaginable, the disc is worth buying for this documentary alone. It has to be seen to be believed.

For fans of bizarre B-movies, or for those who believe that foreign films are all too highbrow, this is a must-buy disc. Highly recommended.

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Back in the Thirties and Forties, the reigning Hollywood horror star was Boris Karloff. Bela Lugosi was just as well known to audiences, but he tended to be badly treated by studios, and rarely received top billing in major studio releases. Well, times have changed. Universal's THE BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION includes five of Lugosi's films for that studio, four of which had him billed below co-star Karloff. But is Boris' name or likeness anywhere on the package? No. It's taken the better part of a century, but Bela's on top now, baby!

MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1932) was Bela's follow-up to 1931's DRACULA, and a consolation prize of sorts for being passed over for FRANKENSTEIN. Based on the classic Edgar Allan Poe story, MURDERS is a somewhat disappointing melodrama, thick on Germanic atmosphere but poorly paced by director Robert Florey. The oldest of the films in this set, the transfer is surprisingly nice; the 73 year-old film shows some understandable age-related wear, but nothing too grievous. Full frame, original mono sound.

THE BLACK CAT (1934), directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, is probably the best movie in this set. A twisted tale of sadism, necrophilia and Satan worship, this movie shocked audiences of the time and is still fairly disturbing today. Karloff and Lugosi are equally featured in this, the best of their collaborations, with Bela in the unfamiliar role of hero (more or less). Great sets, great performances, great direction…great movie. The transfer is a bit soft and shows some minor damage her and there, but considering the vintage, it's nothing to complain about. Full frame, with original mono soundtrack.

THE RAVEN (1935) is a sordid little B-movie with Bela in top form as a brilliant surgeon with a strange obsession for the works of Edgar Allan Poe… and a more understandable desire for an attractive young female patient. Karloff is the deformed murderer he keeps around for odd jobs, and there are lots of cool, Poe-inspired torture devices in this short, effective thriller. A very crisp transfer has been provided in the full frame "Academy" ratio. The sound is the original mono tracks.

THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936) is a bizarre but enjoyable amalgam of science fiction, gothic horror, jungle adventure and revenge melodrama. Top-billed Karloff plays an eccentric scientist whose discovery of an extraterrestrial element ("Radium X") dooms him to a radioactive living death while rival scientist Lugosi exploits his colleague's discovery to cure virtually all disease. It's a great old school thriller-chiller with a memorable performance by Karloff and Lugosi scene stealing shamelessly in a supporting role. The full frame transfer is very nice; sharp and well defined, with only minimal print damage. The mono sound is clear and appears to have been cleaned up some. The second best flick in the set.

BLACK FRIDAY (1940) is really a Karloff vehicle not dissimilar to the actor's "Mad Doctor" series from Columbia at around the same time. Boris once again plays a visionary scientist whose experiments with brain transplants ends badly. (But really, do they ever end well?) Lugosi plays a supporting role, miscast as a big city mob boss. Being the newest of the films, FRIDAY looks the best, with a nearly flawless full frame transfer. The mono soundtrack is fine.

Five fun films with classic horror's two greatest stars for a very reasonable price. How can you go wrong? You can't. Recommended.

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From the fine folks at ei Independent Cinema's Seduction Cinema label, comes the four-flick THE MISTY MUNDAE EURO-VIXEN COLLECTION. This three-disc set includes MUMMY RAIDER (2001), VAMPIRE VIXENS (2001), ROXANNA (2001) and SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR LUST (also 2001) in their extra-sexy, extended International cuts.

All four shot-on-video features star charismatic ei starlet Misty Mundae and lots of other attractive young women, all of whom indulge in simulated lesbian sex scenes at the drop of a pair of panties. The paper-thin plots are inconsequential, really, the production values aren't anything to write home about, and the acting? Well, the ladies all moan convincingly, I'll say that. But – if you're not in the mood for hardcore porn, and you're looking for pure softcore sexploitation, you could do a lot worse.

The set is loaded with tons of Mundae-centric bonus features, including various television interviews, a couple of documentaries, the usual boatload of Seduction Cinema trailers, and a full-color booklet. All four video-shot features look fine and the stereo sound is sharp and clear.

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One might think from these columns that I love horror films and lesbians. And one would be correct. But another of my favorite genres is the Spaghetti Western, that unique subgenre of European Cinema that arose in the Sixties and made a star of Clint Eastwood (and replaced sword and sandal Hercules films as Italy's primary cinematic export for a decade or two).

Well, MGM has just released three fine examples of the genre in the handsomely packaged box set THE SABATA TRILOGY, which includes the films SABATA (1969), ADIOS, SABATA (1970) and RETURN OF SABATA (1971), and I couldn't be happier.

SABATA is a surprisingly tongue-in-cheek Western adventure starring the great Lee Van Cleef as a mysterious gunfighter with enough lethal gadgets to make James Bond jealous. The film is filled with eccentric characters (including a remarkable acrobat) and some fantastic action sequences. The plot is a throwaway – something to do with corrupt land barons and blackmail – that exists only to set up some exciting gunfights. It's a great example of the genre and a lot of fun.

ADIOS, SABATA clearly isn't about the same character, and not just because this time he's played by Yul Brynner – who always looked particularly cool in black (even in bell-bottom pants like the ones he wears here). But while it was shot under the title INDIO BLACK, it has the same director, producer, and a lot of the same supporting actors show up in different roles, so I can see why the U.S. distributor tried to pass it off as a sequel. This time, "Sabata" is helping Mexican revolutionaries steal Austrian gold, but it's the action sequences and Brynner's unique machismo that makes this worth watching.

Van Cleef returns (appropriately enough) in RETURN OF SABATA. Once again, "the man with the gunsight eyes" is up against another corrupt landowner who is robbing a small town blind. Returning director Gianfranco Parolini (credited on these flicks as "Frank Kramer") displays a light, breezy style and really knows how to use his camera. There are some very effective shots in all three of these films, and some surprisingly contemporary editing.

All three films – which have never before been released on home video in the U.S. – are presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital mono sound. The picture quality on all the films is excellent and virtually free of dirt or damage – you wouldn't guess they were over thirty years old. The only extras on the discs are trailers and promos for other Western titles offered by MGM/Sony/Columbia.

These films are well worth watching, especially if all you know of the genre is Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood's "Dollars" trilogy. While the Sabata films may not be as groundbreaking as Leone's films, they're damned entertaining adventure flicks, and are highly recommended.

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KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER: THE COMPLETE SERIES. (1974-1975) As a kid, this supernatural mystery series – the acknowledged inspiration for Chris Carter's X-FILES and the source material for a new, updated series on ABC – scared the hell out of me. Now, as an adult, I can see the flaws in the monster suits, am aware of every plot hole and recognize the blatant formula writing… but I still love the show. Darren McGavin's portrayal of hard-nosed newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak is one of the great TV characterizations of all time, and the new series will never be as memorable as the original, simply because McGavin was so unique. Wry, sly, part con man and part private eye, Kolchak always got his story – even if they never saw print.

Universal has released all 20 episodes of the original 1974-75 television series in a three-disc, bare bones set, completely devoid of any extras whatsoever. The full frame transfers are overly dark and grainy and, clearly, no effort was made to clean them up. Nonetheless, it's great to finally have these shows on DVD – good episodes and bad.

For Darren McGavin fans, nostalgic viewers of the show, or those curious about the series that kicked off the new one, it's worth checking out; I just wish Universal had put a little more effort into it.

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BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON ONE. (2004-2005) I'm a big fan – and an unapologetic one – of the original '78 series, and really had a hard time warming to this "re-imagining" when it premiered last year. But, it's a good show. Can't deny it. Hard-edged science fiction with a great cast of talented actors who take the material seriously.

The original premise is the same – the Twelve Colonies of Man are destroyed by the robotic Cylons, and the handful of survivors set out across the universe in search of a legendary thirteenth colony, Earth, under the protection of their last warship, the Battlestar Galactica. The big twist in the new series is that the Cylons were actually created by mankind, and now have several models indistinguishable from human beings. It adds an effective level of paranoia to the proceedings, I must admit. There are plenty of subtle (and sometimes nearly subliminal) references to the original show, and stunning state-of-the-art digital effects. Good stuff.

Universal's boxed set of the first season (13 episodes) of the revival show also includes the original four-hour debut miniseries, several Sci-Fi Channel-produced "making of" featurettes and commentary tracks on every episode by Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore. There's also some deleted scenes, sketches and art. This all comes packed into five slim cases tucked into a shiny box that showcases the series' slinky Cylon sexbot and other young stars.

If you missed this on television (as I did) or you're a fan of the old series who's resistant to this 21st Century "re-imagining" (as I was), you should really check this out.

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