Blu-ray Review: LUTHER THE GEEK (1989)

LUTHER THE GEEK

Directed by:  Carlton J. Albright

Distributed by:  Troma Films / MVD Entertainment

 If you are familiar with Troma Films, you usually know what to expect going into a film.  There is a difference, though, in a true Troma produced film and one that Troma just picked up the distribution rights to.  A Troma produced film are films such as THE TOXIC AVENGER, TROMEO AND JULIET,  CLASS OF NUKE'EM HIGH, and POULTRYGEIST, just to name a few.  They are silly and crude (think lot of bathroom humor).   LUTHER THE GEEK does not fit your normal Troma Film stereo type, as this is just one that they picked up the distribution rights to.  Now don't get me wrong, I love the crazy Troma films and all their non-pc humor, but this film is just not that kind, so I wanted you to be aware of that for sure.  While I wouldn't say this is a serious horror film by any means  (the killer does bawk like a chicken most of the film), but it is more serious compared to those above mentioned Troma titles. 

Before I go any further, here is the basic plot of the film from courtesy of the Troma Films website:

A young country boy is plunged into the depts of homicidal madness after witnessing the strange expolits of a carnival “geek,” a caged drunk so desperate for whisky that he bites the heads off live chickens in front of a freak show audience. Thirty years later, Luther is all grown up and out on parole, after spending his childhood behind bars for a series of grisly murders. Armed with only a pair of razor-sharp metal dentures and only able to communicate thorugh chicken clucks, Luther restarts his bloody rampage as he terrorizes the citizens of a small town and takes a young mother and her family hostage in their isolated farmhouse.

  I had no clue what to expect going into this one.   As much as I love Troma Films, and collect them, this is one I had never seen.  I've owned the DVD for years, but had just never got around to watching it.  I was glad when the newly released Blu-ray arrived for review, as it gave me an excuse to watch this film finally.  I had been curious about it for years, and after watching it,  I'm a little upset it took me this long to see it.  

  

  LUTHER THE GEEK is an excellent horror film from the 1980's.   While it barely counts as an 80's horror film having been released in 1989, it definitely has the 80's horror movie feel to it.    One thing I was really impressed with was the gore and the amounts of it.  Luther made himself some dentures with metal teeth filed down to sharp points, so he can really do some damage!  And boy does he do some damage!   He uses his new metal teeth to go on a killing spree, with his method of choice being to rip out the neck and jugular of his victims.   Actor Edward Terry does a remarkable job and plays this part of a twisted killer to perfection.  He gives off such a creepy vibe, especially when he is taunting his victims with his clucks and bawks like a chicken. 

 One thing to note here, this is Director Carlton J Albright's only Directing credit on IMDb.  I find that very odd, as this was such a well made film, especially for it's time.   I would have loved to see what else he could of done with more horror films.   He did write and produce one of my all time favorite (yet little known) horror movies, THE CHILDREN. That film came out in 1980 and is a must see.   If  you haven't seen THE CHILDREN or LUTHER THE GEEK, get both and make a night of it with an amazing double feature!  

 

 LUTHER THE GEEK is available now on Blu-ray and contains the following Special Features:

• * Original Lloyd Kaufman DVD Intro
• * Carlton J. Albright’s Blu-Ray Intro
• * Director’s Commentary with Carlton J. Albright
• * Classic Interview With Director Carlton J. Albright
• * Classic Interview with William Albright
• * A Conversation With Carlton: An Interview With Carlton Albright
• * Fowl Play: An Interview With Jerry Clarke
• * Fowl Takes
• * Troma’s Freak Show
• * INNARDS! Music Video
• * Radiation March
• * Troma Trailers

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

4K UHD Review: RE-ANIMATOR (1985)

RE-ANIMATOR

Directed by:  Stuart Gordon

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

 If you haven't seen Stuart Gordon's RE-ANIMATOR, stop what you are doing right now and go watch it.  It's in my list of top 5 horror films of all time.  It's a classic film that never gets old, no matter how many times I watch it.  Here is the basic plot synopsis from IMDb.com:

After an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue.

 Now that is a very basic plot synopsis about a film that is anything but basic.  This is a brilliant film that keeps you entertained from start to finish.  The gore effects are amazing and very plentiful!   This was before the age of CGI, so you get to enjoy nothing but gooey practical effects.   The acting is top notch with Jeffrey Combs giving a great performance as Dr. Herbert West and the amazing Barbara Crampton as the Dean of the college's daughter, Megan Halsey.  I assume most horror fans have seen this film, so I am not going to go into any more details about the film itself.  We all know it's amazing.  I am going to focus this review more on the newest physical release of the film from Second Sight Films.   As always, Second Sight has done an amazing job on this new 4K release.   They spare no expense when it comes to extras and presentation. 

 The picture quality of this new 4K release is amazing. Crystal clear picture and vibrant colors.   This is definitely worth the upgrade from your old DVD or Blu-ray copies that I know we all have sitting on our shelves!  

 As great as this movie obviously is, the Special Features are what really steal the show here.  The film itself is really only a small part of this release.  There are hours and hours of special features that go really in depth into the making of this film.   Here is a list of all the Special Features included on this new release:

• New 4K restoration approved by Producer Brian Yuzna

• Presented in HDR with Dolby Vision

• Includes the Integral Version in HD

• New Audio Commentary by Eddie Falvey

• Audio Commentary with Director Stuart Gordon

• Audio Commentary with Producer Brian Yuzna and Actors Bruce Abbott, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton and Robert Sampson

• The Cosmic Horror of HP Lovecraft: a video essay by Mike Muncer

• Re-Animator at 40: conversation with Actors Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton, and Producer Brian Yuzna

• Piece By Piece: Cutting Re-Animator: an interview with Editor Lee Percy

• Suzie Sorority and The Good College Boy: an interview with Actor Carolyn Purdy-Gordon

• The Horror of it All: The Legacy and Impact of Re-Animator

• Barbara Crampton in Conversation

• A Guide to Lovecraftian Cinema

• Re-Animator Resurrectus

• Interview with Director Stuart Gordon and Producer Brian Yuzna

• Interview with Writer Dennis Paoli

• Interview with Composer Richard Band

• Interview with former Fangoria Editor Tony Timpone

• Extended Scenes

• Deleted Scene

• Theatrical Trailer

• TV Spots Still

• Gallery

 The commentary tracks and new conversations with the cast and crew are extremely interesting and is worth the price of this release alone.  Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Second Sight Films new RE-ANIMATOR release asap!  

 Second Sight released this film in two versions, a standard 1 disk 4K version, and a limited edition 3 disk box set with a rigid slipcase with new artwork by artist Krishna Shenoi, a 120 page book with  new essays by Sean Abley, Becky Darke, Lindsay Hallam, Josh Hurtado, Michelle Kisner, Justin LaLiberty, Phil Nobile Jr and Heather Wixson, and 6 collectors arts cards.   

  At the time of this post, it looks like the Limited Edition box set is sold out everywhere I look.  If I find a site that still has them, I'll update this post!   You can still get the standard edition by clicking below. 

CLICK HERE to purchase the RE-ANIMATOR 4K UHD Standard Edition

Blu-ray Review: POSSESSION (1981)

 

POSSESSION

Directed by:  Andrzej Julawski

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

 Today's review is another film I have always heard about, and have always wanted to watch, but just never have for some reason.   I even own in on DVD, but have yet to watch it.   I was glad when the new Second Sight Films Blu-ray arrived for review, as I would have the chance to watch it finally.   Here is the basic plot of the film from the Second Sight Film's website:

A woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behaviour after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something far more sinister.

  Now that plot synopsis is pretty basic, but this movie is anything but that.  It is a very intriguing film with lots of layers, and to be honest, quite confusing at some times.   POSSESSION is hard to describe in terms of genre.  While it is considered a horror film, the subgenre is almost impossible to define.   It's as much of a drama film as it is horror, it's also a suspense film, but then there is also an element of body horror that was very surprising.  Overall the film just gives off a sense of dread, and uneasiness.  

  The acting in this film is top notch, with a young Sam Neill giving one of the best acting performances of his career.   Isabella Adjani won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as Anna in this film, and that was very much deserved.  Adjani gave one of the most emotional performances I have ever seen put on film.  In fact, I am surprised this performance is not talked about more often. 

  The effects in this film are very good, and of course, all practical.  I was surprised by the amount of blood and gore in this film, as on the surface it doesn't seem like that type of film.  As I mentioned before, though, this film doesn't fit in one category.  It's a good mixture of multiple subgenres and makes for a very entertaining and thought provoking film. 

 If you haven't seen this one, I highly recommend it.  If you have seen it or even own it on DVD, I highly recommend you check out this new Blu-ray release.  It's presented with a new 4K restoration and looks amazing.  

POSSESSION is available now on Blu-ray and contains the following Special Features:

• A new Producer approved 4K restoration

• 2- Disc Edition
  

• Includes the North American Re-edit: newly restored from an archive print

• New Audio Commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Alison Taylor 

• Audio Commentary by Director Andrzej Żuławski moderated by Daniel Bird

• Audio Commentary by Frederic Tuten moderated by Daniel Bird

• New Audio Commentary by Daniel Bird and Manuela Lazic (The North American Re-edit)

• The Horror of Normality: Guillermo del Toro on Possession

• The Shadow We Carry: Kat Ellinger on Possession

• Repossessed: The Film’s UK and US reception

• Andrzej Żuławski: Director: archive documentary

• A Divided City:  The Berlin locations

• The Sounds of Possession: an interview with Composer Andrzej Korzynski

• Our Friend in the West: an interview with Producer Christian Ferry

• Basha: a featurette on poster artist Barbara ‘Basha’ Baranowska

• The Other Side of The Wall: The Making of Possession

• Archive interview with Andrzej Żuławski

• Deleted Scenes

• Theatrical Trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Blu-ray Review: VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM SPACE! (2024)

VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM SPACE!

Directed by:  Michael Stasko

Distributed by:  Cleopatra Entertainment / MVD Entertainment

 I had no idea what to expect from VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM SPACE! when it showed up for review.  The title was funny, but I have seen enough of these low budget horror comedies to know to be cautious.  Most of them are not funny at all, and are just hard to watch.  I am happy to say that VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM SPACE! blew away my expectations.  This is honestly the most fun I've had watching a horror film this year.  Before I go any further, here is the basic plot synopsis from the Cleopatra Films website:

In VAMPIRE ZOMBIES FROM SPACE, Dracula has devised his most dastardly plan yet, turning the residents of the small town of Marlow into his personal army of vampire zombies! A motley crew consisting of a grizzled detective, a skeptical rookie cop, a chain-smoking greaser and a determined young woman band together to save the world.

 I did not know what to expect going into this film. What I got was an amazing homage to old sci-fi and horror films from the 1950's, mixed with a vampire film, mixed with a zombie film, with an abundant amount of practical effects and gore!   I'll be honest, I was not expecting the amount of blood and gore in this one, although it was usually very comical in nature.  

 The film is shot in black and white and is an amazing homage to the old sci-fi/horror creature films, including the intentional scenes where you can see the strings holding up bats and spaceships.  This is done on purpose, of course, because this is a comedy for sure.   Horror comedies can really be hit or miss, as normally those two polar opposite genres don't really mix well for the most part.  If you can find one that does it perfectly, you have a gem of a film on your hands.  I am glad to say that this film blended these elements perfectly and made for one heck of an enjoyable film.   Very seldom to I laugh out loud when watching a comedy film by myself, but I caught myself doing just that on numerous occasions while watching this one. 

 As an exact opposite to the comedic value, this film has tons of blood and gore as I mentioned before.  They are mostly all practical effects and are done very well.   You'll see people exploding, having holes blown threw them, and even being cut completely in half.  Of course, in the spirit of a comedy film, the guy that gets cut in half continues to fight one of the good guys, or at least his lower half continues to fight!  Seeing just the legs of a man in a fight was not something I was expecting to see in my lifetime, but  here we are! 

 I honestly cannot recommend this movie enough. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun with a film and this will be one I revisit and show friends for years to come. 

 This film is set for physical DVD/BD release on January 20th and will come with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary

* Deleted Scenes

* Promotional Clips

* Slide Show

* Trailers

  Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this one for sure!

CLICK HERE to pre-order the DVD

CLICK HERE to pre-order the Blu-ray

Vinyl Review: "Frankie Stein and His Ghouls" and "Vincent Price Witchcraft-Magic—An Adventure in Demonology" from Real Gone Music

Vinyl Review:  "Frankie Stein and His Ghouls"  and "Vincent Price Witchcraft-Magic—An Adventure in Demonology" from Real Gone Music

Distributed by:  Real Gone Music

While I mainly focus on Horror movies on this blog, I love to branch out and cover other horror related items when I can.  Books, clothing, or in this case, Vinyl records!   As most of you probably know, Vinyl has made a huge comeback in the last few years with collectors.  With that resurgance of interest in Vinyl, comes some amazing new releases and re-releases.   I was recently given the opportunity to check out a couple of Horror related vinyl re-releases from an amazing online retailer I found called, REAL GONE MUSIC.  According to their website, REAL GONE MUSIC is "a reissue label dedicated to serving both the collector community and the casual music fan with a robust release schedule combining big-name artists with esoteric cult favorites,"

 The first vinyl for review is INTRODUCING FRANKIE STEIN AND HIS GHOULS!   Originally released in 1964, this was a fun album of a fictional group of monsters that played scary, but fun songs for kids.  The songs sound like they are from the 60's, with lots of surf tunes and twists, but with sound effects of monsters, ghosts, and other creepy sounds!  It's all upbeat and fast paced, though, so not scary at all and great for kids!   This is such a fun album, and would be great to play if you were having a Halloween party. You can't beat that cover art as well!   Here is the track list for INTRODUCING FRANKIE STEIN AND HIS GHOULS:

Side One
1. WEERDO THE WOLF (Twist)
2. GOON RIVER (Swim)
3. A HEARSE IS NOT A HOME (Frug)
4. LITTLE WEIRDS (Monkey, Lindy)
5. LULLABY OF GHOST LAND (Fox Trot)

Side Two
1. KNIVES AND LOVERS (Swim)
2. LITTLE GHOUL BLUE (Mashed Potato, Shimmy)
3. GHOUL DAYS (Watusi)
4. LITTLE BROWN BUG (Hully Gully)
5. THE NECK TWIST (Twist)

INTRODUCING FRANKIE STEIN AND HIS GHOULS is released on opaque orange pumpkin vinyl inside the classic orange cover art, and is limited to just 500 copies, so get yours soon before they are gone!

 The next vinyl I got for review, and one of my favorite new additions to my collection, is Vincent Price's WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC:  AN ADVENTURE IN DEMONOLOGY.  This is a spoken-word album by Vincent Price, and if you are like me, you would pay for an album of just him reading a phone book!   This man's voice was so unique, and perfect for the horror genre.   Mix his voice with text about witchcraft and demons, and you have a hit record on your hands!   

 This album is so interesting, as  you get a history lesson of witchcraft throughout history, from the Middle Ages, the Spanish Inquisition, and even Nazi Germany.   Along with the history lessons, you get stories of witches and possessions as well as instructions and directions on how to cast your own spells!   Obviously meant for entertainment purposes only, it's a lot of fun to listen to. Vincent's words are backed by some creepy music and sound effects creating the perfect blend of the macabre!

 WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC:  AN ADVENTURE IN DEMONOLOGY was first released in 1969, and Real Gone Music has reissued it as a double LP release complete with the gatefold jacket and the full size 8 page booklet that accompanied some original copies.  The vinyl themselves are clear with orange pumpkin pigment and look amazing!  This is a must have release for any horror fan, specifically fans of the great Vincent Price.    

 Here is the track list for WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC:  AN ADVENTURE IN DEMONOLOGY:

Side One

1.        Prologue/The Tale of Master Seth

2.        Hitler and Witchcraft/Witchcraft in History

3.        Women as Witches/Witch Burning

4.        Witch Tortures

 

Side Two

1.        Witch Tortures (Cont.)/The World of Spirits and Demons

2.        Preparation for Magic/Instruments of Magic

3.        How to Invoke Spirits, Demons, Unseen Forces/The Magic Bloodstone

4.        The Witches Cauldron/How to Communicate with the Spirits

 

Side Three

1.        How to Communicate with the Spirits (cont.)/Gerald Yorke and Necromancy

2.        How to Make a Pact with the Devil/How to Become a Witch

3.        Curses, Spells, Charms

 

Side Four

1.        Curses, Spells, Charms (Cont.)/Potions

2.        The Hand of Glory/The Witches Sabbat

3.        Witchcraft Today/Epilogue

 REAL GONE MUSIC has some amazing releases in addition to these two that I highly suggest you check out.  They spare no expense in creating some great re-issues with some beautiful colored vinyl, all at a remarkably affordable price!   Definitely check out this site if you a fan or collector of vinyl records!

CLICK HERE to purchase the Frankie Stein and his Ghouls vinyl

CLICK HERE to purchase the Vincent Price Witchcraft & Magic vinyl

CLICK HERE to check out the rest of the HALLOWEEN (Horror) section of Vinyl records at Real Gone Music

4K UHD Review: MAXXXINE (2024)

MAXXXINE

Written & Directed by:  Ti West

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

 The final installment in Ti West's X Trilogy, MAXXXINE is once again a very different style of film as the first two films.  X was a dark and grimy 70's style horror film, while PEARL was a vibrant and colorful nod to old Hollywood, disguised as a horror film.   MAXXXINE is set in 1980's Hollywood and was very reminiscent of Hollywood slashers of the 80's.  

 Here is the basic plot synopsis, courtesy of Second Sight Films:

An adult film star in 80s Los Angeles tries to cross over to the mainstream by starring in a new horror film, but her past soon catches up with her and friends and colleagues start turning up dead.

  This film immediately made me think of Robert Vincent O'Neil's 1984 film, ANGEL.   While that film focused on a serial killer targeting prostitutes,  the killer in MAXXXINE was targeting female adult film actresses.  West did an amazing job of making this film feel like you were watching something straight from the 80's.  The wardrobes and hair styles were spot on.  Also worth noting was the amazing soundtrack featuring tons of 1980's hit songs.  

  Mia Goth again stars as Maxine Minx, the character she portrayed in the original film, X.   If you'll remember from my review of PEARL, she also plays the character of Pearl, the woman that owned the farm Maxine shot the adult film at in X.   Confused?  I was too at first, but somehow Mia Goth pulls it off and makes it work.  I think that is a testament to the talent that she is. 

  As with the previous installments, there are some great effects, with lots of blood and gore.  One scene in particular made me physically cringe, and I expect most males that watched this did the same.  That should be a good hint and what part of the body that effect involved!  

 Director Ti West once again does a wonderful job and makes another very stylistic horror film, and a nice wrap up to the X trilogy.   While I personally think MAXXXINE was the weakest of the 3 films, it was still very good and definitely worth a watch.     Second Sight Films again does a remarkable job with this 4K release.  The picture and sound quality is amazing, and as you can see below, these releases are loaded with some awesome Special Features!

MAXXXINE is available now in 4K UHD and a 4K UHD Limited Edition set.   The standard edition contains the following Special Features:

• Presented in HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

• New audio commentary commentary by Bill Ackerman & Amanda Reyes

• Back to the Blank Page: a new interview with Director Ti West

• Money on the Screen: a new interview with Producer Jacob Jaffke
  
  
• B-Movie Aesthetic: a new interview with Director of Photography Eliot Rockett 
  
  
• Curating Space: a new audio interview with Production Designer Jason Kisvarday
  
  

• The Whole World's Gonna Know My Name: Kat Hughes on MaXXXine

• The Belly of the Beast

• XXX Marks the Spot

• Hollywood is a Killer

• Q&A with Ti West

The Limited Edition set contains all the Special Features from the standard edition, plus the following extras:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by OC Agency Group

• 120-page book with new essays by Reyna Cervantes, Sarah Miles, Sam Moore, James Rose, Rebecca Sayce and Michelle Swope

• 6 collectors' art cards 

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD Limited Edition set

4K UHD Review: PEARL (2022)

PEARL

Directed by:  Ti West

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

 I was a big fan of Director Ti West's 2022 film X starring Mia Goth, and I was aware of the other two films in the trilogy, but had just not watched them yet for some reason.   I finally got to check out the 2nd film in the trilogy, PEARL, thanks to the new 4K UHD release from Second Sight films. 

 Here is the basic plot of the film courtesy of the Second Sight Films website:

A troubled young woman pursues stardom in a desperate attempt to escape the boredom, loneliness, and lovelessness of life in her small town. As life on her parent’s farm grows more and more frustrating, her mask of sanity slowly starts to slip.

  PEARL is actually a prequel to X, and like X, PEARL also stars Mia Goth, but this time she's playing the part of the farm owner killer from X. 

 This film was much different than the first film.  X was very dark and dirty feeling.  It had a very 70's Grindhouse horror look and feel to it.    Pearl was vastly different in that it is set in 1918 and is very vibrant in both the tone of the film and the look of the film.  The colors burst off the screen in this new 4K UHD release.   I love the way they made the film look like an older film, especially with the title font and the classic credits that look like they are from an old black and white film.    The film has some a few very gory scenes, mainly at the end, but they are done in such a beautiful and artistic way.  You'll have to check it out to understand, and you'll know what I mean by this as soon as you see it. 

  The acting in PEARL is incredible, with Mia Goth giving another remarkable performance.  All the actors did great, all giving top notch performances.   This is a very interesting film, as it doesn't seem like you are watching a horror film at all.  It is too clean, and pretty.  Later in the film, you'll definitely know you are watching a horror film, as Pearl does some truly awful things to her controlling Mother and her terminally ill Father. 

 Since this is a prequel, you don't have to have seen X to enjoy this film, you can definitely enjoy it for what it is on it's own.  If you have seen X, though, that does add a bit more fun to it as you know who Pearl grows up to be and you understand why she did the things she did in X. 

 This is a great film, and is definitely as good as X, but I might even go out on a limb and say it's probably actually a better made film than X.   Both are enjoyable films, so check them out if you haven't seen them yet.   This new release from Second Sight Films is a perfect way to enjoy the film in pristine picture and sound quality. 

 PEARL is available now in 4K UHD and a 4K UHD Limited Edition set.   The standard edition contains the following Special Features:

• Presented in HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

• New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

• Bold Choices: a new interview with Director Ti West

• The Mother: a new interview with Actor Tandi Wright

• Absorb the Aesthetic: a new interview with Director of Photography Eliot Rockett 

• Going Technicolor: a new interview with Production Designer Tom Hammock

• Hollywood Goes West: a video essay by Joe Wallace

• Coming Out of Her Shell

• Time After Time 

  The Limited Edition set contains all the Special Features from the standard edition, plus the following extras:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Thinh Dinh

• 120-page book with new essays by Jenn Adams, Joel Harley, Mo Moshaty, Tori Potenza, Vannah Taylor and Nadine Whitney

• 6 collectors' art cards 

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K UHD

CLICK HERE to purchase the Limited Edition 4K UHD