4K ULTRA HD/BD Review: EVILENKO (2003)

 

EVILENKO

Written & Directed by:  David Grieco

Distributed by:  Unearthed Films / MVD Entertainment

 Serial killer movies are one of my favorite sub-genres of horror.   I love true crime stories, so was pretty intrigued when this one showed up for review.   EVILENKO is based on the book "The Communist That Ate Children" by David Grieco, who also wrote and directed this film.   That book, and this film, were based on the true story of serial killer Andrei Chikatilo.  Here is a bit about him from Wikipedia: 

  Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo was a Ukrainian-born Soviet serial killer nicknamed "the Butcher of Rostov", "the Rostov Ripper", and "the Red Ripper" who sexually assaulted, murdered, and mutilated at least fifty-two women and children between 1978 and 1990 in the Russian SSFR, the Ukranian SSR, and the Uzbek SSR.

  Chikatilo confessed to fifty-six murders; he was tried for fifty-three murders in April 1992. He was convicted and sentenced to death for fifty-two of these murders in October 1992, although the Supreme Court of Russia ruled in 1993 that insufficient evidence existed to prove his guilt in nine of those killings. Chikatilo was executed by gunshot in February 1994

 I had never heard of this serial killer before, and it got me thinking about how many serial killers there have probably been all over the world that we just don't know about here in the states.   We typically just know about all the U.S. serial killers, so it was interesting to hear about one that was completely new to me. 

 Here is a brief synopsis of the film from the Unearthed Films website:

Based on the shocking true story of the former Soviet Union's most notorious serial killer, this riveting, haunting film explores the mind of a true monster; a man who mutilated and devoured more than 50 children. For years, Andrei Evilenko (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange, Gangster No. 1, TV's "Entourage") eluded the obsessive Detective Lesiev (Marton Csokas, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, xXx, Aeon Flux) and the psychiatric profiler Aron Richter (Ronald Pickup, The Chronicles of Narnia). Spurred on by his rabid fury at the gradual crumbling of his precious Soviet Union, Evilenko is a man who will live, die and kill as a communist. The haunting melodies of composer Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive) and writer-director David Grieco's stark imagination have created a portrait of a serial killer that will resound in the psyches of us all.

  Let me start by saying that EVILENKO will not be for everyone.   It will be triggering for some, especially those that have been in anyway affected by sexual abuse.  As you would expect from a film about a killer that preyed on small children, the film contains some unnerving subject matter. I will say, though, that most all of the killing are done off screen, with the viewer just seeing the aftermath of Evilenko's butcherings.   While Unearthed Films is known for it's more gorier releases,  this one does seem out of place for an Unearthed Films release, but I assume it is just the extreme subject matter that got this one picked up by them. 

 The film is shot well and wonderfully acted, especially by genre legend Malcolm McDowell who plays the title character/killer.   He does a wonderful job in this role, as he does in every role I have ever seen him in.   My one fault with this film is the pacing, as it does feel very slow and drawn out in parts.  The film has a running time of 111 minutes, which could have been trimmed down in my opinion. 

 The new 4K transfer is stunning, and is sure to be a huge leap from any previous release you might have seen. 

EVILENKO will be released on February 25th, but is available now for preorder.  The 4K/BD combo contains the following special features:

• 4K ULTRA HD + BLU-RAY | LIMITED COLLECTOR'S EDITION CONTENTS
• *  NEW 4K restoration of the original camera negative by Unearthed Films
• *  Blu-ray of the feature film and all new extras
• DISC ONE – FEATURE (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
• *  NEW 4K restoration of the original camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
• *  NEW 2024 Commentary with writer/director David Grieco and actor Malcolm McDowell
• *  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• *  Optional English SDH Subtitles
• DISC TWO – FEATURE & EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
• *  NEW 4K restoration of the original camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
• *  NEW 2024 Commentary with writer/director David Grieco and actor Malcolm McDowell
• *  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• *  Optional English SDH Subtitles
• *  An 81 minute cast and crew interview collection including writer/director David Grieco, actor Malcolm McDowell and composer Angelo Badalamenti
• *  'Evilenko Dossier: Andrei Chikatilo' A 27 minute look at the real-life basis for the character of Evilenko
• *  David Grieco and Malcolm McDowell on 'Evilenko' A 69 Minute interview from 2021
• *  Photo Gallery
• *  Original Trailer

 

CLICK HERE to pre-order the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to pre-order the 4K HD/BD combo 

Blu-ray Review: DEATH RACE 2050 (2017)

DEATH RACE 2050
Directed by  G.J. Echternkamp
Distributed by:  Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

 Very seldom do I come across a sequel to a film that really captures the look, feel, and atmosphere of the original...especially a sequel that came out over 40 years after the original film.  That is just what DEATH RACE 2050 has succeeded in doing, though.

  Here is the basic plot from the Universal Home Entertainment website:

  Legendary filmmaking icon, Roger Corman, is back with his most outrageous film yet in this sensational, action-packed and darkly humorous reboot of the original Death Race 2000! It’s the year 2050 and America is controlled by an all-powerful corporate government ruled by The Chairman (Malcolm McDowell). The masses have been brainwashed with violent virtual-reality entertainment. The event of the year is the Death Race, in which a motley crew of violent drivers compete in a cross-country road race, scoring points for shamelessly running people over and driving each other off the road. The reigning champion and fan favorite, Frankenstein (Manu Bennett), who’s half-man half-machine, wants to take the crown, but his rebel spy co-pilot threatens his legacy.

 There is no doubt that this is a sequel to Roger Corman's DEATH RACE 2000.  It has the exact look of the original film with the crazy cars and even features the comically sped up footage of the race cars like the original film had.  The cars look about as futuristic as the ones in the original DEATH RACE 2000 which I found surprisingly satisfying.  The cars and the film overall have the exact same campy feel as the original film.

  The film also contains the awesome kills you would expect, including some that are pretty gory, like a guy getting sliced in half.  My only fault with this is most of the gore scenes are CGI, and don't look very realistic at all.   That doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the film, though, in fact it goes right along with the campiness of the rest of the film.

  Overall the acting in this film is excellent, with one of my favorite performances being that of the character, Perfectus, played by Burt Grinstead.   While at first I found the character somewhat annoying, he really grew on me and later became one of the highlights of the film for me.

  If you are a fan of Roger Corman's original DEATH RACE 2000, you should love this new film.   DEATH RACE 2050 is available now on DVD and Blu-ray from Universal Home Entertainment and contains the following special features:

*  The Making of Roger Corman's DEATH RACE 2050
*  The Look of 2050
*  Cars!Cars!Cars!
*  Cast Car Tours
*  Deleted Scenes


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