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Category:    Home > Reviews > Thriller > Murder > Greece > Aliens > Horror > Comedy > Heist > Cars > Slasher > Revenge > Exploitation > Supern > Death Has Blue Eyes (1976/Arrow Blu-ray*)/Escape From Area 51 (2021/Cleopatra Blu-ray w/CD*)/F9 4K (2021/Fast & Furious 9/Universal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/Hanger (2009/Unearthed Blu-ray Set*)/

Death Has Blue Eyes (1976/Arrow Blu-ray*)/Escape From Area 51 (2021/Cleopatra Blu-ray w/CD*)/F9 4K (2021/Fast & Furious 9/Universal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/Hanger (2009/Unearthed Blu-ray Set*)/One Dark Night (1983/Blu-ray*)/Return Of Swamp Thing: 30th Anniversary Edition (1989/DVD/*all MVD)



4K Ultra HD Picture: B+ Picture: B+/B+/B/B-/B-/B- Sound: B+/B+/B+/B+/B/B- Extras: B/C/C/B+/B/B Films: C/C-/C-/C/C+/C



Our latest group of genre films are more rag tag than usual, but here they are...


Death Has Blue Eyes (1976) is presented in this new restored Blu-ray edition from Arrow Video. The first film from Nico Mastorakis, the film takes place in 1970s Greece and revolves around two gigolos who are always up to no good. One day, a wealthy woman and her telepathic daughter encounter them in the midst of a scheme and they soon hire the boys as bodyguards. Things get even crazy as truths are revealed and some things are not what they seem when the telepathic girl ends up witness to a political crime. The film has some interesting ideas, but tends to take some time out just for the sake of love scenes, which feels a little much at times.


The film also stars Jessica Dublin, Maria Aliferi, Peter Winter, Hristos Nomikos, Maria Elise Eugene, and Clay Half.


Death Has Blue Eyes is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc , an MPEG-4 AVC codec with two presentations - in 1.85:1 widescreen and 1.33:1 full screen depending on which edition you choose. The audio mix is in English LPCM 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit). The film was originally shot in 35mm and is restored here in 2K high definition. The film looks pretty good overall here with minimal film noise in the image.


Special Features:


Exclusive new interview featurette with Nico Mastorakis


Exclusive new interview with actress Maria Aliferi


Dancing with Death: tracks from the Death Has Blue Eyes original soundtrack


Original theatrical trailers


Image gallery


Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys


and First Pressing Only: Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Julian Grainger



If Ed Wood was a modern filmmaker with a limited budget, he probably would make something almost as bad as Escape from Area 51 (2021), a film which you can tell was hastily slapped together in the editing room using lots of stock footage and disjointed sketches that barely resemble a complete thought. If you're expecting a film with production design, cool aliens, or naked women fighting aliens as the cover eludes... you're out of luck. Nothing much happens in this movie and not even the special effects are interesting. This is pure camp crap.


A sexy alien warrior woman (played by Baywatch star Dana D'Errico) ends up on Earth and escapes Area 51, only to run into three bumbling teens. Another alien warrior is sent down to find her as she attempts to find a friend who is also in hostility in space.


Produced by Girls with Corpses Magazine, this B-Movie also stars Chloe Amen, Anouk Samuel, and Chris Browning. The film is directed by Eric Mittleman, the producer of Comic Book: The Movie and Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels.


Escape from Area 51 is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The film is shot all digital and was shot on several different video formats. The special effects are mostly really bad, and purposefully so. The image is consistently clear and the overall presentation isn't terrible however.


Special Features: A CD soundtrack which includes a track / music from The Prog Collective featuring the late Chris Squire (Yes), Patrick Moraz (Yes, The Moody Blues), Billy Sherwood (Yes), Alan Parsons and Steve Stevens.


This Sci-Fi B comedy isn't very good. There isn't much redeemable about it really. I'm sure for the cast there are plenty of inside jokes. I'm pretty sure there was no screenplay for this movie whatsoever and that it was mainly improved. It feels very slapped together. You can even see boom mics dropped into frame in a few scenes. Ouch.



When any popular series loses one of its main actors and/or characters, it risks a serious downturn and finds itself past its prime. When Paul Walker died unexpectedly, he was becoming a beloved actor and big star with more possibilities than just commercial films. At first, the Fast & Furious series handled his loss with respect down to the brotherly relationship (on and off screen) with co-star Vin Diesel, who has been in most of the films since the beginning. After the film that served as a tribute to Walker, they probably should have called it quits. Instead, we get Justin Lin's F9 4K (2021 aka Fast & Furious 9).


In another superfluous heist caper with some action and a few 'twists' thrown in, Diesel's Dom Toretto discovers his long lost brother Jacob (John Cena?!?!?!) is still alive and isa now a hired killer, so faster than you can say Racer X (and maybe grab a Bible), they'll be at each other's throats as Dom tries to move onto a quiet, happy life to no avail. We get no peace either for about 2.5 hours per cut!


Yes, both cuts are equally awful because this is the worst installment in the series with Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell and Charlize Theron showing up to pick up quick paychecks as they steal their badly-written scenes, part of the storyline sends some characters to outer space (making Moonraker look like Star Wars) and we get endlessly bad jokes, predictable situations and digital visual effects that are a step backwards from previous recent entries in this series. There are even some other questionable parts to the film I will skip, but the illicit appeal to family drones on and on and on and on.


Yet the worst part of this debacle and the nadir (give or take the horrid Hobbs spin-off) is the unbelievably pathetic performance by one-time wrestler Cena. Wow, is he bad here!!!


Besides being miscast as Diesel's brother (I could see the spoof with Kermit and Fozzie If The Muppet Show was back in production) and looking more like a very, very distant cousin versus brother, the move (intended or not) slaps at the Diesel/Walker relationship, but even if that was not so, Cena's performance has him just show up, have a blank expression that conveys nothing and then talk in a monotone we are supposed to take as his 'serious acting voice' as he badly delivers line after line after line after line of bad and badly-spoken dialogue. A mannequin could have given a better performance and as soon as he shows up, ruins any chance this could be watchable. He recently said he'd love to play Captain America (a nightmare Marvel, for the sake of humanity, stopped) in a future film, but after this, it ought to be 'Captain Razzie' because this is one fo the worst performances of any kind we have had to suffer through in the last few years.


One bad wrester-turned-bad-actor was already enough for this series, but here are two of them. Yes, its that bad and would it have really happened if Walker was still alive? No!


Even the vehicles are junkier than usual, including an odd use of a Pontiac Fiero with too much irony to go into. Other regulars from the past films (Michele Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson) are back, but everyone looks so bored, as if they also knew this was not working.


I hope this is near the ned of the road for this series, but this one did make money (pandemic nostalgia and/or fan base?) and we will likely have one or two more films. Do they have to be this awful? We'll see.


The 2160p HECV/H.265, 2.35 X 1 Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image looks good enough, but it is one of the narrowest improvements over the also-included 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition Blu-ray I have ever seen after seeing a huge bunch of these sets. It is odder since Dolby Vision is the ultimate upgrade with 12-bit color, but it is no demo disc. Both discs offer lossless Dolby Atmos 11.1 (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) sound and it also has its punch, but it not that great and since there is plenty of talk, the tracks take a break too often for such a film.


Extras (per the press release) include a GAG REEL, plus...

  • F9: ALL IN: The Fast family invites you to be part of the crew as they give you an intimate look at how F9 propels this epic franchise to even greater heights. This bonus feature, with more than 46 minutes of content, includes returning characters, new cast members, huge stunts, big surprises, and so much more.

  • PRACTICALLY FAST: When it comes to stunts, it seems each film in The Fast Saga outdoes the last. In this piece, we examine how Justin Lin and his team go to great lengths to shoot as many stunts as they can in-camera and practically, giving the film an authenticity that cannot be achieved solely through visual effects or CGI.

  • SHIFTING PRIORITIES: We first met many of these characters when The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001. In the 20+ years since, not only have the characters themselves grown and evolved, but so have the actors that portray them. Art often imitates life, and we look at how that's particularly true in F9.

  • JUSTICE FOR HAN: Han is back! Sung Kang and Justin Lin discuss the genesis for the return of this beloved character, while the cast reveals how much it means to them to have Kang back along for the ride.

  • A DAY ON SET WITH JUSTIN LIN: The job of a director on any movie production is huge. The job of a director on a production the scale of F9 is immeasurable. Spend a day with Justin Lin and see just how demanding it is to navigate a production day when you're the one with all the answers.

  • JOHN CENA: SUPERCAR SUPERFAN: John Cena is a real-life car expert, and no franchise does cars like Fast. Watch John jump from exotic car to exotic car like a kid in a candy store, giving you a true fan's look at some of the rarest and most expensive automobiles in the world.

  • and a FEATURE-LENGTH AUDIO COMMENTARY (THEATRICAL AND DIRECTOR’S CUT) WITH PRODUCER/CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR JUSTIN LIN



The late filmmaker Ryan Nicholson (Gutterballs) directed this wild independent film, Hanger (2009), which is appropriately released by the gore-friendly label Unearthed Films. This revenge tale centers on a pregnant prostitute who is forced to have a bloody abortion and as a result, a brutal revenge is taken by the grown survivor named Hanger (Nathan Dashwood) years later on the pimp who ordered this act of cruelty. This is definitely not a film for those who have a weak stomach.


Hanger stars Debbie Rochon, Lloyd Kaufman, Candice Lewald, Wade Gibb, Alastair Gamble, and Dan Ellis.


The presentation of the film here isn't exactly stellar, but I don't think that was the aim of the late filmmaker Ryan Nicholson here. The film is shot in the now extinct 1080i format, a widescreen presentation of 1.78:1, and an overall poor video presentation, which is supposed to give the viewer a more retro grind house style feel. The audio is significantly better than the image, however, with two mixes in lossless English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 and in English LPCM 2.0 Stereo.


Special Features are aplenty. In fact, there's over sixteen hours worth of material here including...


2.0 Stereo Audio Commentary with Director Ryan Nicholson


Behind the Stoma: The Making and Taking of Hanger


Taking of Hanger Enough Dope to Hang Yourself With: On The Set with Lloyd Kaufman


Deleted Scenes


Rose's Bush: Starring Leroy Washington


Blooper Reel


and Trailers


With over 16 hours of never before seen takes, behind the scenes and outtakes, there is plenty to see here, even if the film offers only so much.



One Dark Night (1983) is a supernatural horror film that is finally available on Blu-ray in this new special edition from MVD that is similar to the release from 88 Films and Code Red. This new 2K restoration looks pretty good overall, but isn't without flaws. The film itself is a fun ghost story that's very atmospheric and has an excellent creepy soundtrack, fun special effects, and some interesting cinematography. It takes a while for the story to build, but the second and third acts of this film are spooky fun.


The film stars Meg Tilly, Melissa Newman, Robin Evans, Donald Hotton, and Elizabeth Daily. The late Adam West even has a small part in the film!


As part of an invitation into a girl's club, a woman must send a night inside a dark mausoleum that may just be full of foolish college tricks or could really be haunted by a supernatural entity. Soon, the girls realize that on this dark night they could be running for their lives.


One Dark Night is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a fine sounding English: LPCM 2.0 Mono mix. The one thing I noticed from this new 2K scan that seemed a little weird were green scan lines on the far right of the screen during a few scenes and some noticeable film grain. The colors overall aren't bad though, and this is the same scan also used in the Code Red edition.


Special Features:


Audio commentary with Director & Co-Writer Tom McLoughlin and Producer Michael Schroeder


Audio commentary with Director & Co-Writer Tom McLoughlin and writer Michael Hawes


Interview with Director Tom McLoughlin


Interview with Actress E.G Daily


Interview with Actress Nancy Mott


Interview with Cinematographer Hal Trussell


Interview with Production Designer Craig Stearns


Interview with Producer Michael Schroeder


Interview with Special Effects crew member Paul Clemens


Alternate Director's Cut / Work Print Version of the film (SD, 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio)


Behind the scenes footage


Paul Clemens photo gallery


Original Theatrical Trailer


Reversible Artwork


and a Collectible Mini-Poster.


One Dark Night is pretty fun spooky movie that is very 1980s and is captured here in a pretty fun collector's edition.


Finally, Swamp Thing is one of the more overlooked DC Comics' character and also one to have a comic book film series before it was 'cool'. The follow-up to the Wes Craven original, The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) continues with Dick Warlock's portrayal of the creature which is fun and quite heroic. This hammy sequel, co-starring Heather Locklear (Dynasty, T.J. Hooker) as the plant obsessed love interest, the film is pure cheese from frame one but like other genre films in this era, however, the film still manages to have some heart behind it.


Return Of Swamp Thing: 30th Anniversary Edition also stars Louis Jourdan, Sarah Douglas, Ace Mask, and Monique Gabrielle.


Abigail Arcane (Locklear) visits her mad uncle Dr. Anton Arcane in his laboratory, where he is experimenting illegally with genetic mutation. Soon, she encounters the infamous Swamp Thing (Warlock) who is hell bent on fighting these creations. Along the way the two find action and love as they battle against Dr. Arcane's inhuman creations.


Return of Swamp Thing is presented in anamorphically enhanced, standard definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an original, lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround Audio mixes. The presentation is fine for DVD, but not up to par as the also available 1080p high definition Blu-ray edition also available and reviewed elsewhere on this site.


Special Features:

New filmmaker commentaries

New Interviews

6 Promotional TV Clips

2 Greenpeace Public Service Announcements

1989 Promo Reel

and a Photo Gallery.



- Nicholas Sheffo (4K) and James Lockhart

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



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