Drive-in Cult Classics Vol. 2 + 3 (BCI Eclipse DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C+/C-     Films: C+

 

 

BCI Eclipse is very entertainingly issuing four-DVD movie collections dubbed Drive-in Cult Classics and the first set was so successful that they are doing themes to their sets for the follow-up collections.  Volume 2 includes B-Horror movies with the occasional Sci-Fi twist, while Volume 3 is lite sexploitation and teen fare.  The titles are all (save a few from the first set) from the Crown International film catalog and are as follows:

 

Volume 2

 

Bloodlust (1961 with Robert Reed)

The Creeping Terror (1964)

The Devil’s Hand (1962)

The Hearse (1980)

Land Of The Minotaur (1977 with Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasance)

Madmen Of Mandoras (1963)

Terrified! (1963)

They Saved Hitler’s Brain (1963/one of the worst film’s ever made)

 

Volume 3

 

The Babysitter (1969)

Blood Mania (1970)

Malibu Beach (1978)

Pink Angles (1971)

Pom Pom Girls (1976)

Single Room Furnished (1968/Jayne Mansfield’s last film)

Van Nuys Blvd. (1979)

Weekend With The Babysitter (1971)

 

 

The Horror films are more interesting than the teen films, some of which were released as part of the Starlite collection BCI once issued.  The various aspect ratios are usually good, though some transfers are weaker than others and The Babysitter comes from a PAL analog transfer.  However, they are usually looking good for their age and more watchable than you might expect them to be in some cases.  Color can be an issue, especially since the color films here are of the regular Eastman/Fuji Color type that can fade.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono sound varies on all 16 films and all show their age, but are usually clear enough to hear.  With a name like Drive-in Cult Classics, you know to only expect so much, but BCI has done its best to make these look good.

 

Though Van Nuys actually comes with an audio commentary by Director William Sachs, most of the films have no extras and only two have drive-in concession stand trailers with other Crown film trailers.  The Horror set has far more of those concession trailers and is more well rounded a set overall, though the Teen set has its moments.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo