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May 2007 ~ July 2007
2007 ~ Director: John Borowski
Facets Video
Sadomasochist, child killer, and cannibal. No, these aren't words to describe Michael Jackson. But these are words to describe one of the worst human beings ever to walk the face of the earth. A grandfatherly old man who seemingly could be trusted on every level. A man who people wouldn't think would hurt a fly. A man whose name would be burned in the memories of everyone across the country for generations to come. That man's name was Albert Fish released by Facets Video.
This half documentary/half movie (narrated by the deep throated Tony Jay), delves not only into the Grace Budd abduction, a story for which Fish (Oto Brezina) is synonymous with, but his entire life. Grace Budd was a 10 year old girl who her parents trusted Fish with. In 1928, Fish took her to an abandoned house, stripped naked, strangled her, chopped up her body, and used her meat in a stew. The most agonizing portion of the story is six years later, Fish sent a letter to her illiterate mother to describe what had happened. But the man wasn't just content on hurting children, he was also content on hurting himself as he whipped himself with various implements to bleed. He lived for the pain of others and himself. He was sent to the electric chair in 1934 at Sing Sing prison.
But this is a just a slight description to the life of Albert Fish. Director John Borowski's (whose earlier documentary was on H.H. Holmes- America's First Serial Killer) presentation is a grim depiction of who was a horrible human being. Brezina's performance as Fish is really terrifying. Though it might seem that he is just going through the motions, Fish's actions probably weren't too much different as he was destined to do what he wanted to get done. Filled with stock footage of 'the good old days' along with photos of Fish, religious artistic symbolism, and sepia toned new footage, Albert Fish gives the real feeling of being there. Making a film like this had to be done with great care and direction. While the re-enactment of Grace Budd's death is completed by a voice over, just the scene where Fish is walking away with Budd is a spine-tingler as one wonders if Borowski is going to show anything vulgar.
The DVD itself is a cornucopia of interesting facts and interviews. The presentation is full frame with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Many interviews (Joe Coleman, Nico Claux, and John Borowski), interview outtakes, deleted scenes, trailers, stills, and featurettes. The colors are striking and the sepia tones are sharp. The score is excellent, though it does give that 'overdone' vibe to it.
John Borowski has made the one serial killer film that many thought could never be made. Though a documentary, this is a thorough look into one of the most depraved minds in U.S. history. I suppose that an actual film of the man would be deemed impossible, but Borowski did a fine job with such jarring subject matter. For true crime buffs, this is a treasure indeed.
A- -Rich Caron
2006 ~ Director: Scott Glosserman
Anchor Bay
During the 1980's, the slasher genre has created a slew of imitators that seem to want to ride the coattails of the originators and more successful films. Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th, Michael Myers from Halloween, and Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm St. have infiltrated the American subconscious. Ask anyone, anyone, and someone will know at least who one of them are. There are those that feel the need to recreate famous killings in these films because of their loyalty towards a certain franchise. And then there are those who are so truly inspired by them, that they become killers themselves. Thus this is the storyline in director Scott Glosserman's Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon by Anchor Bay.
Documantarian Taylor Gentry (Angela Goethals) and her fellow cameramen in arms Doug Johnson (Ben Pace) and Todd Best (Britain Spellings) follow around psychotic serial killer Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel) with his permission to show how he creates his own murder spree. With all the tricks of the trade that he learned from the previously aforementioned serial killers, he displays just how easy it is to kill a group of fuck happy kids and how he needs to keep his "virgin girl" alive. But while they are filming his dirty deeds, Doc Halloran (Robert Englund) is hell-bent on recapturing Vernon.
The film is played out as a combination of Scream and The Blair Witch Project where we have a half film/half mockumentary. Some of the jokes are firmly severed tongue in cheek, but make the film rather uneven as if you don't know when to laugh. Vernon shows all the clichés of where a victim is going to appear and what he/she is going to do...as well as select his 'virgin girl'. All of these things have been played out before, so really nothing new has been added to bring a twist to the story. The film isn't terrible, though it resembles Scream on so many levels. Its just a very uneven movie. And with that said, its also very predictable. Baesel as Vernon is played with such a 'kid waking up on Christmas morning' verve that he can hardly be taken seriously. And he can hardly take on the role of a serial killer with any ferocity due to his lacking size; despite what he says about calisthenics and keeping in shape. He just isn't menacing enough. He looks more the part of Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Goethals as Gentry is too mousy to be taken seriously as a die hard documentarian and Englund as Halloran is severely underutilized. He seemed almost bored with the project. And if things weren't bad enough, you also get to see 500 year old Zelda (Poltergeist) Rubinstein in a brief turn as old librarian Mrs. Collinwood. The killings are okay, but nothing you are going to remember five minutes after see the film.
The DVD is presented with a 1:85.1 widescreen display and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The extras consist of audio commentary (which is almost a disaster due to everyone talking over each other), deleted and extended scenes, featurettes, trailers and a DVD-ROM screenplay.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon was a noble attempt to do something original. But when you copy the most profitable indie horror film in history along with the series that shoddily brought back to life the slasher genre during the mid to late 1990's, your chances of seeing anything new is pretty goddamn slim. Maybe the filmmakers missed out on 1996-1999. Or maybe this is just a way to cash in on the O.J. Simpson book If I Did It, if it were to be released that is. Simply said, this film coulda really been something.....in 1995.
D+ -Rich Caron
2006 ~ Director: Marian Dora
Unearthed Films
Throughout history, the idea of 'man eat man' has always been met with controversy. Whether be it a heinous act of violence to show power on another human being, the desperation of survival, or as a religious act of sacrifice represented by the likes of Abraham and Isaac. But when cannibalism is proceeded with the full will of the victim to be devoured, the idea of 'man eat man' becomes ever the more terrifying. Such is the case of Armin Meiwes and Bernd-Jergen Brandes in the true story Cannibal directed by Marian Dora released by Unearthed Films.
Meiwes (Carsten Frank), aka "The Cannibal", is a non-threatening looking German computer tech who has an unwielding desire to taste human flesh. So much so that decides to place an add on the internet in hopes for an answer. Surprisingly, he receives responses, but none to his liking until a response from Brandes (Victor Brandl) aka 'The Flesh", has the same unwielding desire to become one with his killer. After a night of sexual exploration (in scenes that become rather graphic), Brandes simply tells Meiwes to "Bite it!". A while later, castration seems to be the one way to allow Brandes to bleed to death in a tub. Meiwes then cuts up the body, cooks up portions, and devours him.
The film is an extremely grim depiction of real life cannibalism. Nothing is left to the imagination. While Cannibal Holocaust may be the ultimate cannibal film, Cannibal really wins out on the fact that this was a true crime story that went down in 2001. There are scenes that are guaranteed to stay in your head forever. The ugliness of the sets are mind-blowingly realistic. You can almost smell the putrid, cooked flesh and the rotten blood pouring out of "The Flesh". The acting by Frank and Brandl are terrifying in what makes you believe you are watching a snuff film as this is harsh stuff indeed. The darkest realm of depravity finally hit its mark. Even though the dialogue is as sparse as it gets for any film, Cannibal is hardly ever boring. There is no mention of Meiwes or Brandes on the cover art. Probably that these two have become more of a nameless study case than to give them human identities.
The DVD presentation is 1.85:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital 2.0 sound. Though the DVD is severely lacking extras (trailers), the film itself is more than enough to satiate the most avid cannibal film fan. And for those who want to know, Meiwes was found guilty of manslaughter and received an 8 1/2 year sentence even though cannibalism wasn't illegal in Germany. It took a while for the conviction to go through because Brandes was a willing participant. Even goes so far as signing a contract.
Cannibal, for all intents and purposes, is the ultimate cannibal film. Cannibalism by civilized man is absolutely frightening in that your next door neighbor, co-worker, or best friend could very well be one. After years and years, Cannibal Holocaust, to many (including yours truly), has been the reigning king of cannibal films. The time has come to knock it down one very small notch, and Cannibal has done the impossible.
A+ -Rich Caron
2006 ~ Director: Frank Sudol
Unearthed Films
Animation and zombies. A combination that seems not only right, but also long overdue. Zombies have been created in just about every way from Val Lewton's I Walked with a Zombie to Night of the Living Dead to Junk. And animation is at an all time high in popularity with Cartoon Network, The Simpson's, Family Guy, and South Park. So with the influx of zombie films recently, the time has finally come for the duo to meet. And it has met in the form of Frank Sudol's (though credited as FSudol's) City of Rott from Unearthed Films.
Aging old geezer Fred and his trusty talking walker (?) do battle with hordes and hordes of zombies in an apocalyptic city that is reminiscent of Romero's Day of the Dead. All Fred wants is a pair of shoes for his aching feet. But the zombs that rule the city (and presumably the world) have other plans in their decayed, mushy minds. But can Fred trust who is a zombie and who isn't? And does he even want to bother with those who are okay to begin with? But Fred seems to have a black belt in zombie kick ass because he is the fucking Chuck Norris of zombie destruction! The walker he has is used as a weapon with unreal agility! And boy, does he know how to ride a crotch rocket! And though how the outbreak began is never really discussed, it has been determined that the disease can be passed on by having infected blood touching the skin infused with 'brain worms'; the parasites that cause the victims to become zombies when they travel to the brain.
Now as far as the film looks artistically, its about on par with the skyline view at the beginning of a Fat Albert episode. Its crude and dreary. But I imagine you wouldn't want a glossy zombie film. Hell, that's what the Resident Evil films are for. Nevertheless, the zombies look good; even great at times. The animation movement itself is much like South Park with cutout figures and buildings. They move quite like a bad 16 bit videogame. Now the gore is very splashy and red and it never stops. However when there is a bite or a snap of flesh being ripped from the body, a huge bright red 'splash' emits, giving it more visceral impact. Sad thing is that this can get boring kinda quick as this will happen at an estimated 200 times (at least) during the brief 77 minute running time. The truly amazing thing about this film, and what basically saves it from being a failed movie is that the voices (much sound like the same character), direction, production, music, and everything else in the film is literally done by Sudol! That's right folks! He did this whole movie by himself with absolutely no outside help! Animated or not, this is quite the achievement. This proof should remind those of indie filmmaking that you don't need too many people to get your film off the ground.
As for the DVD, its a full frame presentation with Dolby Digital sound. Special features include a commentary with Sudol and 'Fred', shorts, trailers, deleted scenes, and a slide show. Being a cartoon, the colors are beautiful with no grain with the reds being very vibrant.
The film would play itself better as a short. There's a great deal that can be taken out and still have a complete story. But Sudol, being the one man show he apparently is, wanted to display what he can do. And that's plenty. With City of Rott, the only person he can thank is himself. And that is a very good thing.
B+ -Rich Caron
1977 ~ Director: Cesere Canevari
Media Blasters
The Nazisploitation genre is a very peculiar field. While the films shown in the genre may be hard to watch due to the severity of torture the filmmakers display to the viewer, you can't help but think in the back of your mind whether some scenes are done from factual incidents rather than from the director's mind. But that's the 70's for ya! The following review comes to analyze the most sadistic of all Nazisploitation films....Gestapo's Last Orgy directed by Cesere Canevari and released by Media Blasters.
Lise (Daniela Poggi) returns to where many of her Jewish cohorts were slain to the hands of Commandant Conrad von Starker (Adriano Micatoni aka Marc Loud). His continuous torture, on Lise especially, turns him on and starts to fall for her because she shows no fear towards death. So they start knocking 'das boots'. Until the time comes where the Commandant finally makes her break her will in a frightful scene.
Almost the whole film is told in flashback. And the scenes of repugnant torture will make you feel sick. The dinner scene, IMO, could very well be the hardest scene to swallow (Pun intended- hey, I gotta lighten the mood somehow!). There is a real ugliness to this film. But yet, that works to its favor. Germany during 1939-1945 wasn't exactly a vacation spot. The worse the scenes got, the more you wonder if any of it is based on fact. Alberto Baldan Bembo's frighteningly haunting score just adds to the madness.
The DVD presentation is in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Before the film, a title card appears that the film, which is completely uncut, is culminated from various sources. Two can be made out visually as some scenes (primarily the rape scene and the last scene) look to be duped from a poor grade VHS tape. The sound really hasn't been tinkered with and there is one slight flicker in the picture transfer. The colors are somewhat soft with some over-enhancing in the black areas. But given the film and the rarity, this can easily be forgiven. Overall, just get rid of the Caligula Reincarnated as Hitler DVD. If you are happy with that, you'll be happier with this.
Gestapo's Last Orgy is a ruthless, unapologetic film that offers little, if not nothing, in terms of historical truth. But it does offer plenty in terms of torture. And if that is your bag, then enjoy. This movie is for specific fans of hardcore exploitation films. And it's really not that much of a stretch to say that Gestapo's Last Orgy is the Goodbye Uncle Tom of the Nazisploitation genre. And that's saying quite a bit.
B+ -Rich Caron
1980 ~ Director: Paul Naschy (aka Jacinto Molina)
Bci/Ecplipse
Ah, Paul Naschy (aka Jacinto Molina)! The king of the Spanish horror actors. For almost 40 years, this is the man who has embraced the horror genre with unnerving glee. Even directing a few as well. For instance, The Night of the Werewolf. And since that is the one I mentioned, I might as well review it, huh?
Waldemar Daninsky (Naschy), along with his mistress, the evil Countess Bathory (Julia Saly), are executed for violent crimes against humanity. Fast forward to modern times where grave robbers attempt to steal Daninski's corpse who soon meet a terrible fate. Daninski comes back to life as castle owner Mr. Burko who hosts a group of people who are there for a nice vacation. However, one of them has a dangerous need to bring back to life the Countess Elizabeth Bathory!
And while because its somewhat thin on plot, The Night of the Werewolf is slightly above average entertainment. The fx of Naschy's transformation is silly to look at nowadays, but back then, it was the 'in' thing. The blood is far from splashy as it is usually of the drippy variety (but it is very, very red!). And seeing Bathory in any rendition is always interesting to watch. The gothic feel on the sets are very well maintained as the castle is a beauty to behold.
The DVD is completely uncut in 1:85.1 widescreen. The colors are boastful and definitely the best condition you will ever see this film. Extras include introduction by Naschy, deleted scenes, trailer, gallery and liner notes.
For fans of Spanish horror, you really can't go wrong with this. Naschy has had some winners and some losers. This sits right on that fence.
C+ -Rich Caron
1989
Bci/Ecplipse
The Tales from the Crypt series from HBO and Warner Bros. brought to vivid life horrifying and violent stories from the mind of William M. Gaines, creator of said comic (as well as many other related topics) from the 1950's. Zombies, killers and monsters all saturated within the pages with reckless abandon. And now, HBO and WB has presented to us Tales from the Crypt Volume 6.
Fifteen episodes, all attempted to be directed with great care, jam pack the set. However, The Rabid One can't help but feel that this was the least effective season of the series. The stories range from the bizarre (Let the Punishment Fit the Crime) to the goofy (Operation Friendship) to the unnecessary (The Pit) to the surreal (You, Murderer). But the one thing that mostly stands out among the series is the gore! It seems that many of the episodes were tamed down as far as the blood factor goes. If someone gets stabbed, I wanna see some goddamned blood spurting out! And many of the stories weren't even the slightest bit scary (though seeing Humphrey Bogart working along side John Lithgow can feel like a hallucinogenic nightmare)!
But the blood is just missing from the series. What is missing from the set itself is E-X-T-R-A-S!!!!! Why, oh why in the name of George A Romero is there only one measly little extra in the set (that being a Virtual Comic Book read by The Cryptkeeper of the episode Whirlpool)? And even that was a waste of my time. Hell, I'm typing this as it's playing on my TV now! Surely WB has gotta get on the ball with this. Would it kill them to get some interviews or some retrospects on the episodes in that particular season? Guess it would. But by now, its too late as Season 7 is the final chapter and is due on DVD sometime in the fall.
WB has delivered a nicely packaged set on 3 DVDs and the colors are as beautiful as ever. Just wish there was more of the red stuff. And The Cryptkeeper is up to his usual shenanigans as he always makes me chuckle. He appeared to get more 'scream' time (Couldn't resist! He grows on ya like a fungus!) this season.
In total, this set is necessary if you have the previous 5 sets. Don't want to look foolish by having a missing series! But I can barely recommend this one for novice viewers of Tales. Its not exactly the best, but where else are you going to see former Home Improvement's 'Tool Time' girl Debbe Dunning swearing like a truck driver? Even so, one can tell that the ol' Cryptkeepers day is just about due. But for you completists, get it. But don't say I didn't warn you.
C+ -Rich Caron
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