
The
Adventurers (2017/Well Go
Blu-ray w/DVD)/Bat Pussy
(1973)/Ed
Wood's The Violent Years
(1956/AGFA/MVD/Something Weird Blu-ray)/Essex
Space Bin (2016)/The
Middle Finger (2016/Troma
Blu-rays)/The Sword &
The Claw
(1975/AGFA/MVD/Something Weird Blu-ray)/The
Thingy: Confessions Of A Teenage Placenta
(2013/Troma Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ & C+/B/B+/B/B/B+/B- Sound: B+ & B-/C/B/B/B/C/B-
Extras: C/B/B/C/C+/B/C+ Films: B+/C-/C+/C/C/C+/C
Next
up is the latest high profile Chinese action film and a group of
indie releases that often barely makes the grade of B-movie...
After
5 years of prison, Master Thief Zhang Dan (Andy Lau) is released from
jail and immediately he is back on the job with the score of a
lifetime. However, to Detective Pierre (Jean Reno), he knows that
Zhang is still up to no good and has plans to catch him in the act.
As Zhang gathers his new crew, he realizes he will have to up his
game in order to get the goods and stay ahead of Detective Pierre in
The
Adventurers
(2017).
Zhang
is a thief, the best there is and he is not only into priceless
artifacts, but to him the greater the challenge the more he enjoys
scoring the prize, but French Detective Pierre knows Zhang is too
smart and too good to have of given up ...even after serving 5 years
of prison. Pierre knows the heist is still on and continues to
follow and chase after Zhang all over Europe. When Zhang is betrayed
by his own teacher/mentor, Pierre has no choice but to trust Zhang to
help him recover the treasure and even up the score.
This
movie was in the cat and mouse mode with non-stop action, between a
charming thief and the no nonsense cop, with an impossible heist to
beat high tech security and out smart an army of security guards.
Can thief gets a chance at redemption and becomes the hero to save
the day and rescue the girl?
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image uses various HD cameras
including a 6K Ultra HDD unit and the results are consistently
impressive, as is the
multi-language DTS: X 11.1 (DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 7.1 for older
systems) mix that delivers fine sonics throughout without fail. Not
a bad combination. Extras
include making of the movie and trailers.
Possibly
the first (superhero or not) comic book porn parody ever maybe, Bat
Pussy
(1973), has been remastered (for some odd reason) in 2K high
definition from the original 16mm film elements. This movie is so
bad, there are no credits to the filmmakers responsible (or were they
dodging a DC Comics' lawsuit)!
This
dim-witted porn parody centers around Bat Pussy (played by Dora
Dildo) who hangs out in her 'bat-cave' (which is actually an
outhouse) 'fighting' sexual schemes in Gothum City. Then there's a
hard to watch sex scene between a man and a wife that leaves much to
be desired. Made for shock value more than eroticism, this isn't a
film that you should recommend to anyone.
The
1080p high definition transfer on both films captures the original
1.33:1 original aspect ratio in a bookended 1.78 X 1 frame and an
English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless track. Seeing
that the film was shot on a shoestring and went missing for some time
and has been restored from the only surviving print, there's a lot of
film grain and artifacts, and audio that cuts in and out. Otherwise,
it looks and sounds as good as it can.
Ed
Wood, known infamously as 'the worst filmmaker of all time' returns
to the silver screen with The
Violent Years
(1956), which was directed by William Morgan. These 'Untamed Girls
of the Pack Gang' burst onto the screen in this then modern female
driven crime thriller.
Filled
with Ed Wood's over the top dialogue, the story follows Paula Perkins
(Jean Moorhead) who has plenty of money and a seemingly perfect life
on the surface. But this good girl has definitely gone bad as she
secretly lives a double life as the gang leader of rabid (and sexy)
female thieves. These girls attack young men, steal sweaters, money,
you name it! Can they be stopped before they perform another 'man
attack?' You'll have to watch and see.
Presented
in 1080p from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, the black
and white image looks fantastic (surprisingly for the budget) on
Blu-ray disc with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless track, this is no doubt the film has
ever looked. I especially like the jazzy '50s soundtrack that gives
the film a lot of personality. It's too bad there isn’t a version
of Plan 9 or some of Ed Wood's other work on Blu-ray releases like
this but hopefully some day.
Special
Features include...
Audio
Commentary track with filmmaker Frank Henenlotter and Ed Wood
biographer Rudolph Grey
Gutter-noir
trailers from the Something Weird vault
Memorabilia
scrapbook
Bonus
movie: Anatomy
of a Psycho
(1961), in 1080p from a new 2K scan from an original theatrical print
Reversible
cover art
The
Violent Years
is a fun little genre film that's worth revisiting on disc.
Troma
presents the British comedy Essex
Space Bin
(2016) which is directed by David Hollinshead and Philip Thompson.
While shot on a shoestring, the film features a hilarious performance
by Joerg Stadler as a hopeless woman whose does everything in her
power to open up a portal to another dimension. Set in her hometown
of Essex, Great Britain, the film is silly and doesn't take itself
seriously and will surely entertain fans of British humor.
The
film also stars Emily Wyatt, Phelim Kelly, and Rodrig Andrisan.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a
nice sounding 5.1 track, the film looks and sounds fine on the
Blu-ray format, but isn't necessarily a game changer. The colors are
nicely balanced and the film is surprisingly well shot considering
its budget.
Special
Features include...
Return
to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1
Trailer
Return
to Nuke 'Em High aka Vol 2
Trailer
Radiation
March
and
Troma Now.
In
a different kind of superhero parody than Bat
Pussy
that only Troma could deliver, The
Middle Finger
(2016) is a silly superhero origin story movie from Ireland.
Directed by Seamus Hanly the film follows the story beats of a
superhero film only with an unusually silly twist in that Dennis
(Hanly) is stuck in a costume outfitted with a giant hand giving the
middle finger as the head piece.
The
film stars Seamus Hanly, Rebecca Dore, Rose Henderson, Matthew Kelly,
and Iseult Casey.
Similar
to the plot of Green Lantern, Hanly is an awkward teen until he is
gifted alien superpowers and forced to fight crime. Unsure of how to
use his newly gifted powers, The Middle Finger must become the hero
that he is meant to be.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and
a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound mix, both of which are up to
standards with the Blu-ray format. Shot on a shoestring budget, the
film is interestingly shot and lit considering its limitations.
Special
Features...
"Making
of the Helmet"
featurette
Director's
Commentary
Outtakes
Music
Videos
Trailers
As
silly as it sounds, The
Middle Finger
is for those seeking Troma-riffic thrills and is nothing noteworthy.
Natuck
Baytan's 1975 grindhouse flick, The
Sword and the Claw,
is a Turkish sword and saddle genre film that's perfect popcorn
munching entertainment. This is one of those movies that's so bad
it's good, with some decent production and set design despite its
obvious budgetary restraints. The adventure flick is part Conan,
part revenge thriller, and part kung-fu comedy.
The
Sword and the Claw
stars Cuneyt Arkin, Bahar Erdeniz, Barbara Lake, and Charles Garret.
Also
known as Kilic
Aslan,
the film begins with a king robbed of his hands and murdered, while
his baby son (and obvious heir to the kingdom) is hidden in the
forest. Much like Tarzan, he is raised by animals and becomes a
vicious fighting machine. As an adult he uses his beastly strength
and claw-like hands to take revenge against the new king and his
armies as they seek to destroy him.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 lossless track, the film looks more
beautiful than it sounds. The dubbing is pretty bad and poorly
performed, which takes away a bit from the image of the movie, which
I'm sure is intentional. I kind of like the orchestral score, which
is loud and in the center of the mix. The 4K scan from the only
existing 35mm print in existence, this rare bloodbath is worth a
watch in this new release.
Special
Features include...
Face-smashing
action trailers from the AGFA Distribution vault
Bonus
Movie: Brawl
Busters
(1981), a new 2K scan from an original theatrical print
Reversible
cover art with illustration by Alexis Ziritt (Space
Riders).
Finally,
our last entry should appeal to you if as before & above, you're
a fan of Troma and their bizarre library of gross-out horror. The
newest addition to the Troma-riffic library, The
Thingy: Confessions of a Teenage Placenta
(2013) may be up your alley. Centering around a female bodybuilder
who gives birth to a living placenta, the typical questions of
parenthood comes to light such as religion and morality. As
outrageous as it likely gets, The
Thingy
is a good movie to watch with a group of people that like films such
as Brain
Damage
or early Peter Jackson flicks.
The
Thingy
stars Pascal Maetens, Karel Vingerhoets, and Celine Verbeeck.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen presentation of 2.35:1 and
a 5.1 surround sound mix, the film looks and sounds fine for Blu-ray
considering the shoe string budget that it was shot on. Some scenes
are a bit too dark, particularly the birthing sequence, but all in
all there isn't much grain and the 'shot on video' look works for a
film of this nature.
Special
Features include...
Intro
by Lloyd Kaufman
Deleted
Scenes
Theatrical
trailer
Featurette
"Am I Really That Ugly?"
Featurette
"Ham", Radiation March, Troma Now Xtreme Edition, Return
to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1
Theatrical Trailer, Return
to Return to Nuke 'Em High aka Volume 2
Theatrical Trailer.
-
Ricky Chiang (Adventurers)
& James
Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/