Blu-ray Review: TAG: THE ASSASSINATION GAME (1982)

TAG:  THE ASSASSINATION GAME

Written & Directed by:  Nick Castle

Distributed by:  Synapse Films / MVD Entertainment

  If the name Nick Castle rings a bell for you, it's because you probably know him as the actor who played Michael Myers in John Carpenter's 1978 classic, HALLOWEEN.   I hate to admit it, but I had no idea he was a director as well.  In fact, he has 13 films he is listed as the director of on his IMDb page.   A lot of these are comedies, including one of my favorites, MAJOR PAYNE.   I guess I don't pay attention to the credits of films much, or maybe I just forgot, but I certainly didn't remember he directed that one!   

  Castle's directorial career began with the subject of today's review.   1982's "TAG:  THE ASSASSINATION GAME".  Here the basic plot synopsis from the Synapse Film's website:

  Before the majority of 1980s college movies were all about nudity, slapstick comedy, beer bongs and bad decisions, TAG: The Assassination Game gave this genre a killer twist. In this 1982 film noir-inspired gem, a group of students turns dorm life into a mock battle royale by playing a game that could never be done on campuses of today.  The rules of TAG are simple. Players try to “murder” each other using rubber-tipped toy dart guns. If you are shot, you are “killed” and taken out of the game permanently until only one player remains. Unfortunately for this year’s TAG players, one sore loser is determined to win at any cost, even if it means murdering his competition for real!

  Let me start off by saying this was an extremely fun film!   I know it doesn't seem like a movie about a psycho killing off college kids should be described as "fun", but it is done in way that it just is.  The film doesn't take itself seriously, and there is some dark humor throughout the film that lightens the mood.  

  What starts as a simple game of campus tag using rubber darts, descends into something more when the reigning champ, Loren Gersh" gets "killed" in a way he felt was unfair.  This infuriates Gersh to the point that he takes "The Assassination Game" moniker to heart, and he trades in his rubber darts for real bullets!  

  Gersh does a good job of hiding his killings.   My favorite was when he was under the bleachers that his next target was sitting on watching track and field practice.  He times his shot perfectly with the starting pistol the coach shoots to start the race, so no one notices his kill!  

 

  Something else that was so much fun about this film, was seeing actors I knew from other films, but really hadn't seen in many other films.   Robert Carradine plays the lead role in TAG.  I pretty much only know his as Lewis Skolnick from the REVENGE OF THE NERDS films.   Linda Hamilton plays the other lead, and we all know her from her many films, but I mainly know her from TERMINATOR 2, of course.  The part of Loren Gersh is played by Bruce Abbott, of RE-ANIMATOR fame. 

  This is a very unique films as it's hard to categorize into one genre.  It's not truly a horror movie, although it does involve killing and shows dead bodies.  It is more action I would say, and a bit of a psychological thriller.  Throw in a love story with Carradine and Hamilton's characters and you truly have a film that has something for everyone in it!

  TAG: THE ASSASSINATION GAME is available now on Blu-ray and contains the following Special Features:

*  Audio Commentary with Director Nick Castle and star Robert Carradine

*  Original Theatrical Trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray from Synapse Films

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment

Blu-ray Review: OBSERVANCE (2015)

OBSERVANCE
Directed by  Joseph Sims-Dennett
Distributed by Artsploitation Films / CAV Distribution

  I love coming across a movie to review that I know nothing about.   Such was the case with OBSERVANCE, an eerie psychological thriller from first time director Joseph Sims-Dennett.   I had not even heard of this film when it showed up in my mailbox for review.  I like going into films without expecting anything.   Before I get to whether I think it's a good movie or not, here's the basic plot from the Artsploitation website:

  Atmospherically creepy and visually unnerving, Australia’s Joseph Sims-Dennett’s startling feature film debut follows Parker, a young man in the grip of grief following the death of his young son, his marriage on the rocks and nearing bankruptcy, but who reluctantly returns to work as a private investigator. His assignment it to observe a woman from an abandoned apartment, and as her watches bizarre happenings surrounding her, he slowly becomes aware that the derelict building he is in has a dark presence which slowly threatens to consume him. A frightening horror tale of a man spiraling into madness and reminiscent of Roman Polanski’s THE TENANT, Hitchcock’s REAR WINDOW, and the works of David Cronenberg and David Lynch.  

  Ok...now that's a lot of fancy names to be throwing around there.  Davd Cronenberg, David Lynch, Polanski, and Hitchcock?   Ok, let's not get ahead of ourselves here.    I say that jokingly, as I know what they mean in terms of the film being similar to the works of those directors, I just wouldn't put this film up in the ranks of their work.    The film is good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't great which is what I consider the works of those directors mentioned above. 

  I'm really on the fence with this one....it got critical acclaim from the film fests that it showed at, so lots of people really like it.   I thought it was just ok.   It had some great scenes for sure, my favorite being when Parker goes into the woman's home to plant the microphones and she comes home, trapping him in the house trying to find a way out without her seeing him.   This was a very tense part of the film and one I found most enjoyable.  

  The apartment he was watching the woman from is very creepy, and seems to start to affect him personally, from bodily wounds randomly showing up, to him puking a dark black bile like substance.   But, for all these great scenes, there are also some very slow lagging times in the film where it feels like not much is happening.   Also, I would have like to have known why he was hired to watch this woman to begin with....who is she and what is so special about her?  Maybe that's just supposed to be part of the mystery of this film.  

  In terms of technical aspects, the movie is shot very well with some beautiful scenes, and I also noticed the sound, which I tend not to notice in a lot of films.  The cinematographer and sound editors did a remarkable job for sure.

  As always, I urge you to check out the film and decide for yourself, some of you will really like this one I'm sure.  As for me, I might give it a watch again in the future to see if I get more enjoyment out of it the 2nd time.   

  OBSERVANCE is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  "A Preface to Observance"  (3-minute featurette)
*  Artsploitation Film Trailers


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

Check out the newest film from Kerosene Films, KILLING MR. RIGHT

  I just got a press release from Kerosene Films about their latest film titled, KILLING MR. RIGHT.  You might remember Kerosene Films as the production company behind the indy splatter classic, SPIRIT CAMP.   I did a review of that film a couple of years ago...you can see that review here.
  
  This latest film is a psychological thriller and stars Kerry Beyer, Brittney Karbowski, and introduces Elizabeth Jackson.  The film begins production in Houston, Texas on July 17th of this year.
 
  According to the press release, the film is a twisted thriller reminiscent of AMERICAN PSYCHO and FATAL ATTRACTION.  Here is what Mr. Beyer has to say about this new film: 

 "This film is disturbing... it gets under your skin and you don't know who you can trust,". "It takes sadistic to a whole new level, and you'll question how well you know your significant other."

    Sounds like a pretty cool project...I am looking forward to this one for sure! The film is slated for a DVD release sometime in 2014 

  I will pass on any news/info I hear about the film, but you can also keep up to date by checking out the Kerosene Films website, www.kerosenefilms.com