Dark
Side Of The Moon
(1990/Unearthed Films Blu-ray)/Double
Impact (1991/MVD Blu-ray
w/DVD)/Fate Of Lee Khan
(1973*)/Heroes Shed No
Tears (1986/*both Film
Movement Blu-ray)/Society
(1989/Umbrella Region 4 PAL Import DVD)
Picture:
B/B & B-/B+/B/B- Sound: B/B & B-/C+/B/B- Extras:
B/B/C/C+/C+ Films: C+/C+/B+/C+/C+
PLEASE
NOTE:
The Society
Import DVD is now only available from our friends at Umbrella
Entertainment in Australia, can only play on DVD, 4K and Blu-ray
players that can handle Region 4 locked PAL DVDs and can be ordered
from the link below.
Here's
an odd mix of all kinds of genre films...
The
dark sci-fi thriller, The
Dark Side of the Moon
(1990) is a fun and not completely original film that's heavily
inspired by Alien
and other films of the like, and certainly not quite on that level.
That doesn't make it a bad film by any means, as it's definitely a
bit darker and heavy hitting than other films in the same genre.
Directed by D.J. Webster and on Blu-ray for the first time, the film
is presented here on Blu-ray from Unearthed Films in a crisp new
transfer that brings the overlooked sci-fi film to new detail.
The
film stars Robert Sampson, Joe Turkel, Camilla More, John Diehl, and
Alan Blumenfeld.
A
NASA ship is stranded on the 'dark side of the moon' thanks to a
mission failure... however, soon the crew members come in contact
with another similar ship. When they board it, they realize that a
demonic force is present... and will stop at nothing to possess them
all.
The
Dark Side of the Moon
is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio
of 1.78:1 and a nice sounding audio mix in English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
mix. There's a lot of dark scenes in the film and they all come
across nicely here. It is shot pretty well, but some of the effects
and tech are a bit dated when comparing it to more modern features in
the same vein, but that's to be expected.
Special
Features include:
Audio
Commentary with producer Paul White and Stephen Biro
Interview
with Allen Blumenfield
Interview
with Stuntman Chuck Borden
Interview
with FX Artist Chris Biggs
and
Production and Dialogue notes
An
interesting and dark sci-fi cult film that you may have missed, The
Dark Side of the Moon
is certainly worth checking out in this new Unearthed Films release.
Films like Event
Horizon
and the works of John Carpenter (particularly Prince
of Darkness)
definitely were influenced by it, there's no mistaking that!
Double
Impact
(1991)
has always been one of my favorite Jean Claude Van Damme movies so
was thrilled to see this new double disc release as part of the MVD
Rewind Collection. Remastered and packed with new and old extras
alike, this edition certainly bests the previously released 2012
Blu-ray and is a worthy upgrade.
The
film also stars Sarah-Jane Varley, Wu Fong Lung, Alicia Stevenson,
and Paul Aylett.
Experience
Van Damme's acting range as he plays both good and evil twins who are
reunited in Hong Kong and join forces to seek revenge for the death
of their parents. There's plenty of '90s thrills, sex, and murder
for fans of the era to enjoy.
Double
Impact
is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio
of 1.85:1 and two audio tracks in English 2.0 Stereo Sound (LPCM) and
Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. Also included in this release is
an anamorphically enhanced standard definition DVD of the film as
well.
Special
Features include:
The
Making of Double Impact: Parts 1 and 2
Double
Impact: Deleted / Extended Scenes
Double
Impact: Anatomy of a Scene with Director Sheldon Lettich
Double
Impact: 1991 Behind the Scenes Featurette
Double
Impact: B-Roll Selections [Raw, behind the scenes footage from the
set
Double
Impact: Film Clips
Cast
& Crew Interview Clips
Double
Impact MVD Rewind Collection Promo
Original
Theatrical Trailer
and
a Collectible Mini-Poster.
Lee
Khan, an oppressive and ruthless general in the Yuan Dynasty has
plans to pass through the country side and stay at the Spring Inn.
However, rebel forces and spies have learned of his agenda and have
laid a trap at the Spring Inn. A group of undercover girl-gang have
plans to capture Lee Khan and the military map he carries on him in
King Hu's The
Fate Of Lee Khan
(1973).
A
group of female rebel have secretly taken over the Spring Inn working
as beautiful serving girls in order to lay a trap for General Lee
Khan. However, the Spring Inn is a haven for thieves, bandits and
robbers. And even before Lee Khan arrives, the girls will have to
ferret out Lee Khan's spies sent ahead to spy on the Inn. After
dealing with all the 'regular' customers (and spies) it seems dealing
with Lee Khan would be a piece of cake, but Lee Khan is far shrewder
than they give him credit for and not only knows it's a trap, but he
is prepared with his bodyguards. The only thing he doesn't realize
is all the girls are spies and have plans to get the map at any cost.
This
was an old Chinese movie cleaned up and brought onto Blu-ray, it is
like watching an old school martial arts movie before they had all
the modern special effects and CGI. Most of the movie was amusing
watching how the female characters were portrayed and how they dealt
with ruffians and men with martial arts. Extras include discussion
of "Fate
of King Hu",
essay by Stephen Teo and various trailers.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer can show the
age of the materials used at times, but this is far superior a
transfer to all previous releases of the film looking great with
excellent color as good as anything on this list. Sound is offered
in two
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mixes, one in lesser English,
the other in better Mandarin, but it does have some poor, dated sound
effects that hold back the film and soundfield. This upgrade was
pushing it a bit.
One
of John Woo's early films, Heroes
Shed No Tears
(1986) is a Hong Kong-based action/war picture that he made before A
Better Tomorrow.
The film centers around a Chinese Commando force that are enlisted
by the Thai Government to capture and contain General Samton, whose
an unstoppable drug lord. The battle wages on the Thailand border as
all hell breaks loose!
The
film stars Lam Ching Ying, Ma Ying-Chun, Cecile Le Bailly, and
Philllip Loffredo.
Heroes
Shed No Tears
is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio
of 1.85:1 and audio mixes in Cantonese and Mandarin DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 5.1 Surround Sound (48kHz, 24-bit) and 2.0 Stereo lossless
mixes respectively. The film has been restored in 2K in this new
digital presentation and looks and sounds fine for the format.
Special
Features include:
Interview
with star Eddy Ko
New
Essay by Grady Hendrix
and
a Collectible Insert Booklet
While
obviously not as polished as some of Woo's later works, this is a fun
film to look back on and see the master filmmaker's early days and
progression. The film has a few pacing issues but is pretty action
packed and has strong production value even due to its smaller
budget.
Finally,
Society
(1989) is
a grotesque look at what the rich and powerful do behind closed
doors. Still quite gross and unnerving today, Society
could fall into the same sub-genre as a David Cronenberg film with
comparable practical special effects sequences. Having seen many
releases on home video over the years, including a HD release from
Arrow Video, Society
is presented here on standard definition DVD from Umbrella.
Society
stars Billy Warlock, Devin DeVasquez, Evan Richards, Charles Lucia,
and Patrice Jennings. The film is directed by Brian Yuzna (Bride
of Re-Animator).
Bill
Whitney (Warlock),
a teenage in late '80s Beverly Hills, uncovers a dark truth about
modern society that the rich and powerful and really soul sucking
alien humanoids. As his parents join his bizarre orgy/cult of soul
suckers.
Society
is presented in standard definition with an anamorphically
enhance
widescreen aspect ratio of 1.77:1 and a lossy
Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo English track. In the PAL format, Region 4, the film looks
and sounds as good as it can on the aging format. The compression is
evident throughout but if you're still a collector of DVDs then this
one should do the job.
Special
Features include:
Feature
with Commentary
Theatrical
Trailer
and
Umbrella Propaganda (more trailers for other releases form the
label).
To
order the
Society
Umbrella Region 4 PAL import DVD, go to this link for it and other
hard to find releases at:
http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/
-
Ricky Chiang (Khan)
and James
Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/