By Christopher Mills
January 17, 2006
Wow. No disasters this past week, plenty of productive time at the keyboard,
and an awesome batch of DVDs in the mail. Can it truly be?
Well, instead of jinxing it by questioning it further, let me get right
to the reviews. This week, I've got looks at some classic Roger Corman
cult cinema recently re-issued on DVD, the final(?) Godzilla movie and
my long-promised review of the Weng Weng star vehicle, FOR YOUR HEIGHT
ONLY.
From the Fifties to today, Roger Corman has been the driving force behind
some of the most entertaining – and the most profitable – B-movies
ever made. As a director, he has a strong visual sense and impeccable
storytelling skills. As a producer, he's given professional breaks to
half of the directors and stars of the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties.
It's for this that he gets the most praise and recognition, but it shouldn't
be forgotten that he also has a genuine talent for recognizing commercial
concepts and trends, and quickly and efficiently exploiting them.
Up until recently, he'd been releasing select films from his vast exploitation
library on his own New Horizons video label, but late last year he signed
a deal with Buena Vista Entertainment (you may know them as "Disney")
which gave them exclusive video rights to around 400 titles. Now, Buena
Vista has released their first batch of Corman classics, which includes
some of the most popular drive-in movies ever.
Let's begin with the 1974 drive-in classic BIG BAD MAMA, starring
the amazing Angie Dickinson, Tom Skerritt… and the one and only William
Shatner.
Directed by Steve Carver (director of two of my favorite Chuck Norris
movies, LONE WOLF MCQUADE and EYE FOR AN EYE), this Depression-era gangster
romp chronicles the four-state crime spree of a fortysomething (but hot
blooded and sexy as hell) Texas widow (Dickinson, of course) and her two
lusty teenaged daughters (Susan Sennett of THE CANDY SNATCHERS and Robbie
Lee, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS). Along the way, they add to their "gang"
a Dillinger-like bank robber and a Kentucky con man (Skerritt and Shatner,
a year or so before their co-starring roles in THE DEVIL'S RAIN).
For sheer entertainment, BIG BAD MAMA can't be beat. There's a simple
but interesting story, plenty of action, sexual melodrama, and great character
acting by the entire cast. Despite the low budget, director Carver successfully
creates and maintains a convincing Thirties' atmosphere. Dickinson, who
was also on the boob tube at the time in her hit television series POLICE
WOMAN, smolders with mature sexuality and appears nude in several scenes.
Skerritt, a then-rising star in films like MASH, seems to be having a
great time surrounded by beautiful – and frequently naked –
women. And the Shatner delivers a delightful, hammy performance as the
Southern grifter and gets to have a passionate sex scene with Dickinson.
Simply put, B-movies don't get much better than this.
Buena Vista's disc presents the film in an un-matted, full-frame 1.33:1
transfer. Why it wasn't properly cropped and anamorphically enhanced,
I don't know. But it looks fine, no picture information is lost (although
there's too much on the top and bottom), with solid colors, a sharp image,
and only minimal specks and dirt. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio track
is adequate. The disc includes a brief documentary on the making of the
film, which includes on-screen interviews with Corman, Carver, Dickinson,
Shatner and the screenwriters. While the doc is too short, the participants
relate some great anecdotes and seem to all have genuine affection for
the film. There's also a fun, if lightweight, audio commentary by Corman
and Dickinson, and the original theatrical trailer.
All the Buena Vista releases also have a few unrelated studio trailers
at the beginning of the disc, a promo trailer for the Corman Collection,
and that annoying anti-piracy spot that all the major labels are putting
on their discs lately. Hey, the pirates are downloading from the 'net,
you morons. All this spot is doing is pissing off the legit consumers
who bought or rented their discs. Sigh. Oh yeah, the cover art sucks,
too.
If you couldn't guess, despite the full-frame transfer, annoying trailers
and crappy box design (why they didn't use the original, stylish poster
art is another mystery), BIG BAD MAMA is still highly recommended.
DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) is one of Roger Corman's most legendary
movies, a sci-fi satire packed with thrilling, high speed automotive action,
crazy-cool custom cars, black humor and a great B-movie cast.
Directed by Paul Bartel (EATING RAOUL) and based on a short story by
Ib Melchior (ANGRY RED PLANET), DEATH RACE portrays a futuristic year
2000 (ironic that I'm writing this in 2006!) where a totalitarian American
government keeps the masses pacified with an annual transcontinental Death
Race, an event where flamboyant WWE-like drivers score points
by running down pedestrians. David Carradine (KILL BILL, CIRCLE OF IRON)
is Frankenstein, the world champion racer. Other participants in the automotive
bloodsport include a young Sylvester Stallone, Martin Kove (STEELE JUSTICE)
and cult actress Mary Woronov.
The new disc from Buena Vista uses the same source print as the previous
New Horizons disc, but is now properly matted and presented in a 1.78:1
anamorphic widescreen transfer. And while the print appears to be identical,
with the same scattered scratches and minor debris, the transfer is much
improved: sharper with richer colors. Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 mono.
The disc includes an audio commentary with Corman and Woronov, the original
theatrical trailer, and another short documentary. As Paul Bartel has
sadly passed away, Corman dominates the doc, accompanied by interviews
with Woronov and Martin Kove. Too bad Carradine and Stallone didn't show
up, but maybe they were busy.
A marked improvement over the previous DVD release, DEATH RACE 2000 should
be in every cult movie fan's library, and this is the edition to
buy.
Not part of the current Buena Vista collection, but I feel it should
be included (and I've been meaning to review it since I started writing
this column), is CANNONBALL (1976), Corman's non-sci-fi follow
up to DEATH RACE, also starring Carradine and Woronov and directed by
Paul Bartel.
The movie follows a number of colorful characters as they participate
in an illegal transcontinental road race from California to New York City.
Carradine is "Cannonball" Buckman, an ex-con and ex-stock car
racer who needs to win the race to get back into professional racing.
Pretty Veronica Hamel (HILL STREET BLUES) is his parole officer, who gets
dragged along against her will, while Mary Woronov shows up as the driver
of a van full of hot women. David's little brother, Robert Carradine (REVENGE
OF THE NERDS) is also one of the racers.
If you're thinking it sounds familiar, well, Burt Reynolds and company
ripped this film off wholesale – including the title! – with
their CANNONBALL RUN comedies in the Eighties – but this is better
and much more fun, with some great racing stunts, explosive car crashes,
good performances, and cameos by Bartel, Sly Stallone, Martin Scorsese,
Joe Dante, and Corman himself.
Blue Underground released this on DVD just over a year ago, with a gorgeous
1.66:1 anamorphic transfer, and a great new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround
soundtrack – along with a 2.0 surround track and the original mono.
(Why couldn't Disney go to the same effort?) There's a short but informative
documentary with Corman and Carradine and Woronov all sharing their memories
of the production, the original theatrical trailer, a few TV spots, and
a poster and still gallery.
Recommended.
Universal's upcoming re-issue of REPO MAN (1984), which was previously
released on DVD in several versions by Anchor Bay Entertainment, is a
fine presentation of one of the Eighties' seminal cult films.
Emilo Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton are repo men in Edge City, looking
for a green Chevy Malibu that's worth twenty grand. Of course, they're
not the only ones searching for it. There are UFO conspiracists, blond-haired
Men in Black, Latino car thieves, government scientists and punk rockers
roving the mean streets, all with their fates oddly intertwined. And what's
that glowing stuff in the trunk?
With REPO MAN, Alex Cox (SID & NANCY) crafts a twisted shaggy dog
story, a fever dream "lattice of coincidence" that cannot be
rationally explained. Yet, the film is compelling, driven in large part
by Stanton's character of Bud, the archetypical repo man that defines
the profession. He lives by his code and unfailing worship of the capitalist
system, and is Estevez' guide through the surreal world of Edge City.
Universal's disc presents the movie in a pristine new 1.85:1 anamorphic
widescreen transfer, with both Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and 2.0 mono
tracks. The picture quality is amazing; one would almost believe the film
was shot today, if not for the dated costume and production design. Universal
has seen fit to accompany the feature with a few unique extras, including
an audio commentary by director Cox, producer (and ex-Monkee) Michael
Nesmith, and actors Sy Richardson, Zander Schloss and Del Zamora, and
the original theatrical trailer.
There's also a bizarre-but-fascinating one-on-one video interview with
Harry Dean Stanton, an anecdotal kitchen table bull session between Cox
and producers Jonathan Wacks and Peter McCarthy, and a selection of deleted
scenes, "hosted" by Cox and Sam Cohen, the real-life inventor
of the neutron bomb(!).
Weird cover art though. Anyone have any idea who that girl on the left
is supposed to be? She ain't in the movie...
Anyway, the new Collector's Edition of REPO MAN streets on January 24th.
Universal's disc provides a great transfer, remixed sound, and interesting
and appropriately odd extra material. Recommended.
Mondo Macabro continues to fulfill its promise to bring film buffs "the
wild side of world cinema," with another entry in their "Dick
Randall Collection," featuring the delightful double feature of FOR
YOUR HEIGHT ONLY/CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER (1980). In case you're curious,
the late Dick Randall was an American film entrepreneur who specialized
in co-financing international exploitation productions in exchange for
certain distribution rights. Among the many films he had a financial hand
in are these two action-packed jaw-droppers.
FOR YOUR HEIGHT ONLY stars diminutive (officially he is 2' 9" tall)
Filipino superstar Weng Weng as Agent 00 of the Philippine Secret Service.
When a mysterious megalomaniac known as Mr. Giant and his gang of sleazy
gunrunners and drug dealers kidnap an important scientist, Agent 00 is
on the case, decked out in an all-white Polyester leisure suit and equipped
with cutting edge Filipino covert technology including X-ray sunglasses
and a rocket pack.
Weng Weng is, simply, a marvel. A master of unarmed combat (specializing
in headbutts to the groin and ass-biting) and an insatiable love machine,
the incredible Weng manages to do battle, make love, and save the world,
all without ever changing expression. Women adore him, men fear him, and
you'll wonder just what the hell you're watching.
The second feature of this wonderful double-feature disc is CHALLENGE
OF THE TIGER, starring exploitation legends Bruce Le and Richard Harrison
(TERMINAL FORCE, NINJA SQUAD). Le was among the most ambitious of the
Bruce Lee-alikes that sprang into action upon the Master's demise, not
only starring in copious kung fu capers (such as Randall's THE CLONES
OF BRUCE LEE), but dabbling behind the camera as well. In fact, he's the
director of CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER, a globetrotting spy adventure that
must be seen, if not believed.
Le and Harrison are partners – Le does the fighting, Harrison the
loving – on the trail of a missing infertility formula and another
madman aspiring to world domination. The plot is nearly incomprehensible,
but does offer the following attractions, among many others: Le fighting
a maddened bull to the death, Harrison playing tennis with some amazingly
naked young ladies, and Le throwing down with screen muscleman and ex-Hercules,
Brad Harris (GOLIATH AGAINST THE GIANTS). What more could you want?
FOR YOUR HEIGHT ONLY's transfer is culled from a videotape source, as
the original negatives seem to be lost. While lacking in definition, Mondo
Macabro has put some real effort into it, and it looks far better than
I expected. CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER is presented in a remarkable 2.35:1
anamorphic widescreen transfer. Both films are presented with clear Dolby
Digital stereo audio, and they sound just fine.
The disc is a bit light on extras, but does offer up extensive and informative
on-screen liner notes for both features, poster and still galleries, and
the always welcome Mondo Macabro promo reel.
Do I have to say it? Buy it, love it, show it to your friends, family
and enemies. Highly recommended, of course.
With a budget three times greater than any previous film in the series
and directed by Japanese cinema wunderkind Ryuhei Kitamura (VERSUS), GODZILLA:
FINAL WARS (GOJIRA: FAINARU UÔZU, 2004) is a very different
kaiju movie, one that plays out more as a high-octane live action
anime than a traditional Toho Godzilla flick. The scale of the
action and apocalyptic devastation, the MATRIX-styled wire fu, the broad
humor, rock score, WWE-styled monster battles, and even the look of the
alien villain all make the flick feel more like an edgy cartoon than anything
we've seen in the series before.
The plot owes a lot to MONSTER ZERO (1965) and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1965)
with aliens from Planet X using Earth's monsters – and a few of their
own – to attack and destroy all of Earth's major cities. Defending
Earth (and not very well, actually) are a team of mutant superheroes led
by Keanu Reeves lookalike Masahiro Matsuoka and Ultimate Fighting Champion
Don Frye (whose performance as "Captain Gordon" is so bad it's
great!). The aliens pretty much succeed in destroying civilization before
our previously ineffectual heroes finally unleash the Big G on the marauding
monsters... and that's what we've been waiting for.
Godzilla battles a dozen other monsters – most of them classic Toho
kaiju like Gigan, Ebirah, Anguirus, Hedorah, King Ceasar, and Rodan
– and the battles are the obvious high point of the flick. Mothra
and Minilla (aka Minya, the baby Godzilla) also show up. Most of the monsters
have been redesigned and look (again) more like anime characters;
in some cases is works, in others it doesn't. I was really disappointed
that Megalon, Barugon and Jet Jaguar weren't included, but what the hell.
Overall, it's a fun and fast-paced movie, and if it really is the last
of the series, it's a high note to go out on. I liked it a lot.
Sony's DVD is a pretty bare-bones affair, but it does feature an astounding
2.40:1 Tohoscope widescreen transfer with anamorphic enhancement. Sony
has also included stunning Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mixes in both English
and Japanese. Finally, there's a "B-Roll to Film" featurette,
which consists of some un-narrated behind the scenes effects footage.
For Godzilla and kaiju fans, GODZILLA: FINAL WARS is a must-have.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: Next time, a long-overdue cult TV roundup
with MIDNIGHT BLUE, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, FARSCAPE SEASON 2, BATTLESTAR
GALACTICA SEASON 2.0 and THE ROCKFORD FILES. Then, hopefully, another
installment of DVD Late Show UNRATED: SACRED FLESH, WOMENS PRISON
MASSACRE, 2069 A SEX ODYSSEY and more!
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