4K ULTRA HD Review: THE CONVENT (2000)

 

THE CONVENT 

Directed by:  Mike Mendez

Distributed by:  Synapse Films / MVD

  I am not sure how this film avoided my radar, but not only have I never seen THE CONVENT, I have never even heard of it!   I find this very odd, as it was so much fun!   How did I miss this one all these years!!   Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Synapse Films website:

In 1960, a young woman named Christine enters St. Francis Boarding School for Girls and lays waste to the resident nuns. Four decades later, a group of college students head to the long-abandoned building late one night to tag it with their fraternity letters, little knowing that rumors of the place being haunted are terrifyingly true. Stir in a couple of disapproving cops and a band of unlikely Satanists, and the table is set for a feast of demonic infestation and bloodshed that only the grown-up Christine (Adrienne Barbeau, THE FOG, SWAMP THING) can possibly stop.

  

 This film had me hooked from the very beginning.  In fact, this might be one of the coolest movie openings of all time.  The movie shows us young  Christine going into a convent and wreaking havoc, shooting up the place, and burning the priest and nuns.  This is done in slow motion, to the tune of "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore.  This is such an effective opening, and the music is perfect for this opening scene.   

  We don't really know why Christine is doing this, but later in the film we get the full story of why she did it from the adult Christine, played by horror legend Adrienne Barbeau.   Speaking of horror royalty, we also get to see the great Bill Moseley in this film, although I was not a fan of his part.  He plays a cop alongside an interesting casting choice in rapper Coolio.  They play a very comedic pair, which was very reminiscent of the horribly out of place cops in THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT.  The comic relief was not needed in that film, and it wasn't needed here either. 

  

  This film reminded me of movies like, DEMONS, and NIGHT OF THE DEMONS.  If you liked those films, you will love this one.   Although made in 2000, it had more of a feel of a 80's or 90's film, and that is a compliment for sure!    The film was full of some great practical effects, and the makeup effects on the main demon were amazing, utilizing some sort of glowing make up to make it look like her veins were glowing a cool blue color.  Very well done!  

 While I never saw an older version to compare it to, I have to say that his 4K UHD version looks amazing.   Very vibrant colors and super sharp picture!  If you have an older DVD of this film, you'll definitely want to do yourself a favor and make an upgrade to the 4K Ultra HD disc!

  THE CONVENT is available now from Synapse Films and MVD Entertainment and contains the following special features:

• *Limited Edition Combo (4K UHD + Blu-ray) Release of only 4000 units total
• *Limited Edition Slipcover only on this combo release
• *4K remaster of the uncut version supervised and approved by director, Mike Mendez
• *Mastered in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• *5.1 stereo surround mix from the original 16-track audio masters
• *Cast and crew audio commentary, featuring director Mike Mendez
• *“Lords of Hell” audio commentary featuring Saul and Dickie-Boy
• *Video tour of both THE CONVENT and KILLERS film locations
• *Vintage “Making of” featurette
• *Vintage original studio Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
• *“It’s Always Something with a Virgin” Liner notes booklet from Corey Danna
• *Deleted scene
• *Gore outtakes
• *Still gallery
• *Promotional trailers
• *Reversible cover art

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD

Blu-ray Review: NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS (2010)

 
NUDE  NUNS WITH BIG GUNS
Directed by:  Joseph Guzman
Distributed by:  IMAGE Entertainment

First off, let me start by saying if they gave awards for the best movie titles, this film would
win hands down!    NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS is a title you just can't help but like.  I also love the two tag lines of the film:  "This Sister is one bad Mother" and "She's got a bad habit"!  HA....classic!    For those of you not familiar with the film, here is the basic plot from the film's official website:

Upon taking her vows to become a nun, Sister Sarah is abused, brainwashed and drugged into submission by the corrupt clergy. On the verge of death from a lethal dose of drugs, Sister Sarah receives a message from GOD telling her to take vengeance on all those who did her wrong. Armed with God's will and an arsenal of big guns, she dispenses Judgment Day on her former tormentors. When the church hires the merciless motorcycle gang the "Los Muertos" to track down and kill her they soon realize that this Sister is one bad Mother!

 NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS is shot in an old Grindhouse style.  Many films have done this every since Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez made that genre popular again with their film, GRINDHOUSE, but not too many of these films really get it right.  You can tell it is a new movie just made to look older.   NNWBG does the hole grindhouse bit perfect.   The filmmakers did a perfect job from the font style of the opening credits to the music throughout the film.   If I didn't know better, you could tell me this was a long lost grindhouse film from the 70's and I just might have believed it.

This movie is dirty, gritty, and sleazy....and that is a compliment for this type of film.  That is what the old movies were like that played in those sleazy grindhouse theaters on 42nd Street in New York back in the 60's and 70's.   This movie would fit right in with the best of them all.    The idea of a nun going on a shooting rampage is a crazy idea, and seeing it carried out on screen is even crazier!

There are some hard parts to watch in this film, especially a couple of rape scenes, but the bad guys get what is coming to them by way of this ticked off Sister!   Armed with her guns and her sex appeal, she gets back at all those that have done here wrong, sparing no one in her quest to rid the land of the scum that inhabits it.   

Great action, some good gore, and full of beautiful women showing off their...well...big guns, this film has something for everyone!   Check this one out for sure!   The DVD and Blu-ray is available now.

Special features include the trailer and the NUDE NUNS WITH BIG GUNS original short film that inspired the full length feature film.


 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray