Body Of Deceit (2015/MVD Visual DVD)/Don't Look In The Basement (1972)/Don't Open The Door (1975/Brownrigg Double Feature/MVD/VCI Blu-ray w/DVD)/The Manor (2018/Lionsgate DVD)/Trench 11 (2017/RLJ DVD)

Picture: B-/C+ & C/C-/B- Sound: B-/C/B-/B- Extras: D/C+/D/D Films: C/C/D/B

Here's a group of mostly low budget thrillers, the kind that can work at times when they're not supposed to...

Low budget sexual thriller Body of Deceit (2015) lands on DVD starring Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3) whose haunted by horrific memories of a car accident. When she retreats to an island she meets a woman who seems to know a lot about her. Soon, the two women become an item but her romantic passion is interrupted by reoccurring visions that alcohol can't even solve.

The film also stars Giulio Berruti, Sarai Givaty, and Antonio Cupo.

Presented in an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and a lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix, the film, though obviously compressed, looks as good as to be expected on DVD with a cinematic look and feel even if its nothing special plot-wise. For being a lower budgeted film, it doesn't look or sound half bad.

No extras.

While it isn't without a few sultry moments, there's nothing terribly new in Body of Deceit, but its worth a one time watch at least.

As spoofed in modern times by Edgar Wright during one of the trailer segment of Tarantino/ Rodriguez's Grindhouse (2008), 'DON'T' was a popular pre-fix to many films of the Grindhouse era. While not all of them are particularly good, there are plenty of redeemable qualities within these ultra low budget attempts. These 1973-1974 flicks, Don't Open The Basement/Don't Open The Door are both directed by S.F. Brownrigg find their way on Blu-ray disc for the first time courtesy of VCI as a double feature.

Don't Look in the Basement (1972), also known as The Forgotten, follows a young nurse who makes her way through a mental asylum. There she finds all kinds of loonies that don't shy away from murder and other atrocities. The film stars Bill McGhee, Jessie Lee Fulton, and Robert Dracup.

Don't Open the Door (1975), also known as Don't Hang Up, follows the story of a grand-daughter simply taking care of her grandmother. However, things turn sour when she gets locked inside with a homicidal maniac! The film stars Susan Bracken, Larry O'Dwyer, and Gene Ross.

The 1080p HD transfers of these films are iffy at best, the features seem to lack definition and detail in many of the shots and some of the color seems a little off. Considering the age/condition of these films and the fact that they were probably shot on the cheapest film possible, it's not too surprising that they don't look as good here as larger budgeted horror films of the time. They are presented in 1.78:1 widescreen and both feature a nice sounding LPCM 2.0 Mono mix, which is watchable but far from perfect. Also included are anamorphically enhanced, standard definition DVDs of the films as well and the quality, aside from some more compression on the DVDs, is comparable.

Special Features...

2018 Commentary

Trailers

and Other Grindhouse Trailers

The Manor (2018) is a ultra low budget horror flick with a semi-cool monster but a plot that feels super familiar and acting that ranges from mediocre to atrocious. Featuring Kevin Nash, Danielle Guldin, and Christina Robinson, The Manor is basically about the family reunion from hell that tries to echo Texas Chainsaw Massacre but instead feels more like a cheap knock off.

When Amy (Robinson) is released from a mental home, she ends up going back to the Anders Manor, where she plans to invite her long last family to for a reunion. Of course, once they arrive, she realizes that they are cultists that favor the devil and tend on unleashing a demon named Aka-Mana.

Presented in standard definition with an anamorphically enhanced widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a lossy 5.1 Dolby Digital audio mix, the film looks and sounds fine for DVD. While shot modestly, there's some interesting looking scenes and moments of decent production value. Some things are shot better than others and there are a few moments of motion blur and heavy compression that looks like a bad mix of various formats especially during slow motion sequences.

The only Special Feature is the film's trailer and trailers for other Lionsgate films.

Finally we have Trench 11 (2017), an interesting World War One set horror flick that echoes The Thing and Prometheus (in a good way). A hit at several film festivals, the film stars Karine Vanasse, Rossif Sutherland, Robert Stadlober, Rob Archer, and Charlie Carrick with direction by Canadian filmmaker Leo Scherman. Trench 11 reminded me a little bit of Frankenstein's Army, only not quite that off the rails... but there's something interesting suspense here and a few moments that are sure to make you jump out of your seat!

WWI is nearing an end... but is there something these soldiers should be fearing aside from Germans? When a small group of distinguished fighters uncover a secret trench that leads underground, what they find is a vicious entity that could spell a terrible end.

Presented in anamorphically enhanced standard definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and a lossy English Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, the presentation here is on par with the norm of DVD and obviously would benefit to an HD upgrade. Parts of the film are in German with English subtitles respectively.

No extras, with the exception of a few RLJ trailers that run before the menu.

- James Lockhart

https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/