Blogcritics Author: Brian K

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Movie Review: The Descent

Brian K — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 17:34:27 EDT

After losing her husband and young daughter in a horrific and grisly automobile accident, a young woman named Sarah attempts to climb out of the pit of despair she has been languishing in for over a year by joining a group of her close female friends on one of their annual adventure-seeking expeditions. Sarah’s friend Juno, the unofficial leader of the sexy sextet, has arranged for the group to go spelunking in a remote cave hidden deep in the Appalachians.Staying the night in some rented cabins, the group of women set off the following day for their distant destination -- which Juno assures them will be both exhilarating and challenging. Unbeknownst to the others, Juno, in an attempt to up the adventure quotient, is leading them into an unmapped and unnamed cave system. Initially, this seems of no major consequence for a group whose motto is, “If there’s no risk, what’s the point?” However, the danger-laden cave will indeed test the mettle of these risk-takers, and moreover, something with a taste for human flesh, alive and lurking in the cave’s dank darkness, might very well claim their lives. Having already been released throughout Europe to great acclaim, The Descent is a horror film that fully deserves its lauded status, and unquestionably establishes writer/director Neil Marshall as one of horror cinema’s best and most promising new directors. At the screening I attended, the audience collectively, and repeatedly, jumped and gasped throughout the film -- especially throughout The Descent’s unnerving last half. Without a doubt, The Descent is an uncompromisingly tense, heart-bursting exercise in horror filmmaking that should also make a big splash on this side of the pond.In addition to the film’s visceral visual assault, the script (written by Marshall over a two-year period and numbering over ten drafts) is a compact but wholly satisfying horror yarn with some decently written characters that pull you into the story and their terrifying plight. At times six characters seems perhaps two too many, yet, overall the script fleshes the main characters out pretty well, giving them story arcs which eventually pay off. It’s also worth mentioning that the story takes its time setting itself up; in fact, the “horror" dimension of The Descent doesn’t bare its blood-soaked fangs until nearly forty minutes into the film. Nevertheless, The Descent is rarely boring or tedious and makes good use of its “slow” build, escalating tension as it creeps its way towards the memorably fright-filled, gore-strewn second half.All of the actresses turn in some nice, truly physically demanding performances. The film’s protagonist, Sarah, played by Shauna Macdonald, goes through the biggest transformation over the course of the film -- at one point recalling a blood-spattered Sissy Spacek in Carrie, and the next, proving to be more of a Ripleyesque badass, a la Sigourney Weaver. The character Juno, played by Natalie Mendoza, is the closest thing to a “human” antagonist in The Descent, as she is both deceptive and self-serving, and has an agenda that is ambiguous at best. Lastly, another standout is Nora-Jane Noone who plays Holly, a headstrong and humorous extreme sportswoman.The Descent is also a prime example of a horror film that works wonders despite its modest budget. Primarily the movie was shot at Pinewood studios in England using six mock-up caves, miniatures and some matte paintings. If I hadn’t read this, however, I would be none the wiser because the caves certainly look like the real deal. It’s of additional interest to note the way in which director Neil Marshall and his DP Sam McCurdy (who also shot Marshall’s debut, Dog Soldiers) work within the parameters of having a film set in a cave. The Descent is lit to look as though only natural light sources are being used - flashlights, flares, and glow sticks - which really adds to the reality of the cave setting, and accentuates the claustrophobic feel that is prevalent throughout many parts of the movie. One clever addition in this regard was giving the group a camcorder with a night vision function, which is used to maximum fright effect at one point when Sarah is separated and lost in the cave’s all-encompassing darkness. Another of The Descent’s exceptional elements are the creatures dwelling in the cave, which the director has dubbed "The Crawlers." They are truly frightening creatures, emerging from the darkness unexpectedly, hanging from the walls and ceilings of the cave, only to viciously pounce and shred their victims into rags of red pulp and naked bone. The makeup effects are fantastic, and go a long way toward proving that traditional effects, if used properly, are often more compelling and eclipse their CGI counterparts. The sound design that accompanies the Crawlers is also sure to breed goose bumps, especially the chilling, high-pitched shriek that the creatures emit prior to attack. In total, a lot of good scary stuff that should have most audience members logging in some substantial ass-on-edge-of-seat time.One major complaint I have with The Descent however, is its ending. Actually, it’s with the U.S. alternate ending. Two different conclusions were shot for the film, and for some reason Neil Marshall chose to use the alternate ending, not used in the European release, for the film’s release in the United States. Suffice it to say, it’s basically a disappointing, tacked on final shot that is a major misstep in what is an otherwise excellent horror film.Despite this, The Descent is truly a frightfully exhilarating cinematic experience that I wholly recommend you see in a theater with an audience. And I dare you not to jump.

Brian originally hails from an itsy-bitsy town nestled almost invisibly within the icy, frostbitten fist of the potato state. In addition to this tuberous hotspot, he has lived in various locations across the United States, but lately prefers Los Angeles. Startlingly employable, he has tried his hand at many a job ranging from pineapple picker to script coverage writer. Most recently, he majored in film studies at UCLA where he watched a lot of movies, made a couple of his own and finished a feature length screenplay. He is also a critic for Horrorview.com

DVD Review: The Devil's Sword

Brian K — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:40:38 EDT

A flame-lashed, smoke-tailed meteorite crashes to earth, setting aflame the rural area, and the mind of an aged, gray-bearded fellow who finds the fiery space rock glowing hotly and beeping quirkily nearby. Perhaps wizened, but by no means unwise, the sagacious elder (beset by a blustery wind and a collapsing hut) transforms the smoldering meteor into a longish, unwieldy-looking sword. However, this is not your average longish, unwieldy-looking sword. No friends, this instrument of death is indeed the one...the only...longish, unwieldy-looking Devil's Sword!In a local village, a man who looks both sleepy and bored is sacrificed to the infamous Crocodile Queen. (Note: Sacrifice meaning he dives into the water and swims to the Croc Queen's cavernous underground lair, where he is then greeted and fitted for a brightly colored headband. This, apart from that rather distressing headband, may explain the sacrificee's lack of concern.) Amidst a throng of women, the Crocodile Queen, dressed like the lone survivor of a disco ball accident, luxuriates on her toothsomely canopied bed and bids her headbanded harem of men to come hither. Thus ensues the most torrid, garishly-costumed gang-smooching I've ever witnessed (Spring Sing '87 be damned), but one which I simply haven't the stomach to relate.Back at the village, a wedding ceremony is rudely interrupted by the impromptu arrival of an evil warrior riding a giant floating boulder, laughing maniacally -- more a comment on his mode of transportation, I believe, than any evildoing that may transpire. The warrior has been sent by the Crocodile Queen to stop the wedding, so a-stopping he must do. Consequently, a battle quickly ensues between the entire village and the warrior. The village gets its ass kicked. Yet, all is not lost, for in the distance a good warrior named Mandala, sitting atop a hill and astride his trusty horse (in lieu of an airborne boulder I suppose), has looked on patiently while the village below has taken a profoundly thorough shellacking. At last, however, Mandala arrives fashionably late and confronts the evil warrior, first with a stern lecture and then with a discourse comprised of punches, kicks, and an abundance of swordplay. With Mandala having the clear upper hand, the evil warrior summons a group of crocodile men, who burst from the earth (obviously!) and mercilessly attack Mandala. At last, the evil warrior manages to kidnap the groom, delivering him to the Crocodile Queen, who is eager to press her hot, royal lips to some newly acquired man-chest. When Mandala discovers later that his master is dying from "poison of fire snake" (symptom: profuse bleeding from kneecaps -- cure: lopping off legs) and that a band of evil warriors who attacked Mandala's master are trying to get their grubby hands on the legendary Devil's Sword, Mandala's mission grows increasingly difficult, exceedingly dangerous, and yes, even more convoluted. The Devil's Sword might very well be the brightest jewel in Mondo Macabro's treasure box of decidedly warped Indonesian cinema. The crackpot story and goofy characters are endlessly amusing, the acting, if it can be called that, is deliciously ridiculous, as is the dubbed dialogue. For example lines like, "Hear this: you'll regret this, you polluted bitch hound!" abound in a film that is chock-full of supremely silly scenes and nonsense at its most loonily entertaining. The fight sequences are The Devil's Sword's "finest" attribute. Curiously choreographed and verging on chaotic, these are martial arts sequences quite unlike any others I've seen. Strange stances, midair combat that looks more like footsies in flight, fountains of arterial spray, limb-lopping weapons, wind-hatching parasols, black magic, and decapitations aplenty, all add up to spawn some insanely zany action set pieces. Add to this a low-budget action sequence "inspired" by the famous opening to Raiders of the Lost Ark (substituting the giant ball of stone for a giant stone cyclops) and you'll be wondering if the pervasive smoke that accompanies many scenes can be attributed solely to a fog machine. Star Barry Prima has a nice screen presence, made all the more exceptional by the extras that populate the screen and appear to be thinking solely about what they're going to have for lunch. It's also good fun to watch Prima as the long-maned (surely the envy of his trusty steed) hero throw himself wholeheartedly into the role, do battle with a bunch of crazily costumed foes, and still have time for some sweet, sweet loving with that kiss-crazy Crocodile Queen.To be sure, this everything and the kitchen sink approach makes The Devil's Sword a hilarious, off-the-wall classic that should have fans of bizarre cinema salting their popcorn with tears of joy.Mondo Macabro's restoration of the film, using the original negative, is absolutely outstanding. The film is dubbed in English, horribly, which in the case of The Devil's Sword really adds rather than detracts. Also, as usual, Mondo Macabro has included some excellent extras to accompany the film. They include three text essays, one on the film, another concerning star Barry Prima, and the last details the historical significance of swords -- as it turns out, swords fashioned from meteorites are actually historically accurate. The most prominent and entertaining extra is an interview with the purportedly reclusive Barry Prima. Prima is a difficult and unforthcoming interviewee, to say the very least, but it's interesting to watch, in a rubbernecking sort of way (though I felt bad for the interviewer, who makes a valiant effort). However, I'm glad Mondo Macabro chose to include the interview as an extra on what is truly an excellent DVD. So be sure to grab a copy, and bask in some of that potent, muscle-bound "Prima Power!"

DVD Review: Funny Man

Brian K — Tue, 6 Jun 2006 07:01:36 EDT

The term “cult film,” just like the label “independent film,” has been co-opted by major media pimps who have used it so much and so often that it's now just another loose, meaningless advertising slogan. In fact, nowadays when I hear the term cult film, I'm reminded of a 48 year-old hooker named Ruby from Carson City, Nevada -- the only thing either of them can arouse are my suspicions. It's fair to say that in either case, I'm just not feelin' it anymore. How many times have you heard silly advertising quotes like "a cult classic in the making” or "a certifiable cult classic" for crap movies that have just been released, or worse, haven't even come out yet? Seriously, whoever's doing this certifying in advance should simply have their wrists broken. That's all I'm sayi... uh, hold on just a sec while I check something. For a film to gain any kind of cult classic status, it would seem that perhaps the movie should at least be released so people can watch the damn thing first! After this important step, let the film's small group of devotees jig in the theater aisles, and with prescient tears streaming down their faces proclaim, "By God friends, I believe we have a cult classic on our hands!" Or even more important than this, it seems necessary that a film be around for a few years before it's dubbed a classic of any kind. After this, if the film has aged well, unlike our friend Ruby, and has gained rather than lost its appeal, then by all means, let the classic-christening commence. Which at last brings us to the end of my finger-wagging and to the film in question, Funny Man. From what I gather, Funny Man is something of a minor cult classic, particularly in its country of origin, England. The film, which was released in 1994, and therefore does have a few years under its belt, has had a sketchy release history in the United States. However, the cult-classic-loving cineastes over at Subversive Cinema have set out to change all of that with a snazzy, extras-packed, uncut DVD release of the movie. So is Funny Man deserved of the label cult classic? Well, I suppose that depends on the viewer, really. It has what some might consider "cult classic" ingredients: a small number of devoted fans, an offbeat humor and sensibility, outlandish characters, winks and nods aplenty, cartoonish violence, a willy-nilly narrative, plenty of camp value, and an appearance/cameo by horror/cult icon Christopher Lee. And so, with all these elements in place it should be a done deal, right? Um...not so fast. Let’s put it this way -- I have just about everything I need in my kitchen to make Baked Alaska, but there isn't a frozen prayer's chance in Hell I can make it.To put it more clearly, and without the clutter of a baking or hooker analogy, if Funny Man is a classic, I simply don't belong to its cult.The set-up for Funny Man is extremely run-of-the-mill: a not-so-funny man and his family enter a strange house with a secret (which in this case, said man has won playing high-stakes poker) and bad things (in the form of said secret) befall the family. The good thing about Funny Man is the film takes this mostly pedestrian premise and does some unlikely things with it. Make the father a record executive with a fiendish cocaine habit; kill off the rest of the family real quick-like; incorporate some snippets from Alice and Wonderland and have Christopher Lee read them; introduce a batch of new, outlandish characters -- for example, record exec's wanna-be rock star bro, a woman dressed exactly like Velma from Scooby Doo named Thelma, and an afro-coiffured psychic with commando skills, a mutating hand and lots of Jamaican jargon -- and let the fun times begin. (After that sentence I think I either owe everyone an apology, or a complementary bookmark. Your choice).The bad thing about Funny Man is that it's just not that funny, man (those doubting my qualifications to judge "the funny" have just been properly chastened I believe... zing!). The film has its fair share of smiles and chuckles,and one line that made milk come out of my nose (and I wasn't even drinking milk!!) but unfortunately, a lot of the humor just isn't very humorous. All the same, the film is somewhat amusing and diverting enough and is continually unpredictable, all of which helps hold one's interest, of course.The film also deserves some additional credit. There is no shortage of imagination, even if the scarcity of a budget sometimes detracts from some of the film's more creative aspirations. Overall however, the filmmakers were quite inventive and resourceful and managed to make a film that, at least in terms of its visuals, surpasses what one might expect given the monetary limitations with which the film was bound. As for the titular terror, Funny Man is a demonic jester that kills off characters in some entertainingly elaborate and moderately ghastly ways. Funny Man's shtick does wear rather thin at times, and some of the jokes might very well leave you groaning and feeling like the victim, but his murderous methods are often comical, and at the very least, amusing. Think of the Leprechaun, slightly taller, but with a sizeable codpiece. Add to this some well-done low-tech special effects and it all combines to make for a decent amount of fun.Funny Man actually began as a short film which approached the material in a far more serious manner. A demonic jester as the baddie seems more than a bit silly, so perhaps it was a good idea to play it all for laughs. Nevertheless, the DVD contains the original short, so viewers can judge for themselves. This addition is kind of a mixed blessing however, because honestly, in terms of story, the feature length film doesn't add much to the short film. Rather, it uses the same story and then merely incorporates the outlandish characters, which allows the killing spree to be extended for over an hour. Considering that the film doesn't become a complete bore is certainly something, and yet, anyone looking for a good story or plot might want to look elsewhere.Subversive Cinema has proven to be another exceptional DVD company that takes a great deal of care with its under-the-radar releases, and Funny Man is a fine example of their dedication. The film, which looks very good, is accompanied with an optional commentary track with writer/director Simon Sprackling, and Funny Man himself, Tim James. Additional extras include a featurette entitled “Sorting the Funny Man” which gives viewers an eye-opening, humorous look at the making of the film, and includes interesting facts, such as the filmmakers wrangling their way into using the village set for Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at Shepperton Studios, repainting it in primary colors, and then nearly burning the whole thing down! As mentioned, the DVD also includes the original short film, as well as a short interview with Christopher Lee, a “Pop Promo” in which the Funny Man makes merry at the Cannes Film festival (set to a silly tune that has Christopher Lee and a chorus of children singing about that silly ol' Funny Man), the theatrical trailer, a trailer for the short film, and a seriously funny eight-page production diary that the director kept during the making of the film. In all, it’s a special edition DVD that should have fans of the film bowing at the altar of Subversive Cinema and allows those curious to see the movie an opportunity to finally view Funny Man in all his codpiece-thrusting glory.

DVD Review: The Uninvited

Brian K — Wed, 31 May 2006 20:45:39 EDT

Aboard a subway and on his way home, Jung-won dozes his way through several stops, at last startled awake as the train rumbles to its final destination. Collecting himself, the weary traveler exits the train and notices two young girls seated across from each other, apparently asleep and unattended. Still befogged by the residue of sleep, and the surprise and confusion of finding the two children, Jung-won is uncertain what to do and can only watch from the platform as the subway train speeds away, plunging into the darkness with the two little girls still aboard. With a successful career as an interior designer and a loving, if somewhat domineering, fiance, Jung-won appears to have a stable and comfortable life. However, when he learns later that the children on the train were found dead, he becomes haunted by the two girls, whom he finds seated, much as they were on the train, in his kitchen. Frightened he flees his apartment, but to little avail as the dead girls haunt his dreams and ultimately stir up horrific memories that Jung-won had long ago buried. As the delicate threads of his life, sanity, and future continue to unravel, the puzzling fragments of Jung-won's past begin to fit together after he meets a young woman named Yun who suffers from narcolepsy and is susceptible to psychic phenomena. With Yun's help Jung-won is able to at last unearth the past that haunts him - but as it turns out, some memories, like those on the train, are perhaps better left undisturbed. The Uninvited is the type of horror film that, rather than conforming to any strict definitions that dictate the genre, illustrates what a varied and expansive genre horror really is. I'm certain many viewers would not even consider The Uninvited a horror film. However, as I see it, those viewers have cast the genre into a rather strict definition that restrains and limits horror cinema's inherent potential and scope.These limitations seem to be more staunchly enforced by viewers of horror films than, say, readers of horror literature (even when these people are one and the same). Horror literature is extremely varied and wide-ranging, and enjoys a far more liberal definition than its filmic counterpart. In this regard, The Uninvited has more in common with the elegant horror stories of Shirley Jackson than it does with the majority of movies that, for many today, define horror cinema. In The Uninvited, ghosts serve as the catalyst that propels the main character into his own past - a childhood scarred by a series of haunting and disturbing events that, as a common survival mechanism, he has blocked from his mind. As with many great ghost stories, the main character is haunted by what appear to be both literal ghosts, in the form of the girls on the train, as well as the figurative ghosts from his tragic childhood. To a large extent the film successfully weaves the two together, leaving the viewer to decide if the ghosts are real, allegorical, exist solely due to the character's mental state, or perhaps even all of the above.The film's story is filled with a lot of interesting ideas and subtle touches, and the writer/director of The Uninvited, Su-Yeon Lee, does an admirable job creating a compelling and sophisticated film that visually complements the material. In particular, Lee, with the help of cinematographer Yeong-gyu Jo, excels at creating images and composing shots that mirror and make visible the inner workings of his characters. The somber and somewhat austere look of the film also serves this function, in addition to creating a convincing and palpable atmosphere.A foreseeable problem for some viewers will be the film's pacing. The Uninvited is rather slowly paced - some might even go so far as to call it downright sluggish. However, the interesting and compelling story, bolstered by strong performances and first-rate filmmaking, should be enough to carry thoughtful viewers through some of The Uninvited's slower passages. In fact, the deliberate pace of the film actually lends a startling contrast to those moments which are punctuated by some truly unsettling and horrific imagery. In and of themselves, these scenes are quite strong; however, that the film slowly builds to these shocking moments makes them all the more effective. The dedicated people at Panik House Entertainment have brought The Uninvited to DVD in what is being called "the world definitive edition." Given the packaging, presentation and immensity of extras, it would indeed be difficult to argue with this claim. The film has been digitally remastered and the DVD features the uncut version of the film. Special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette that documents the making of the film, an interview with the stars of The Uninvited, Ji-hyun Jun and Shin-yang Park, an abridged fifteen-minute version of the film titled The Uninvited Condensed, two commentaries (one in English, the other in Spanish), a trailer for the film, poster and still galleries, production notes, an essay on Korean horror written by Art Black, storyboard comparisons, bios, soundtrack samples, and lastly, a collectible sticker. In short, The Uninvited is an admirable film that rewards careful viewing, and which will hopefully find a wider audience now that it is being released on this excellent DVD from Panik House.

Movie Review: The Proposition

Brian K — Fri, 5 May 2006 23:54:21 EDT

Australian director John Hillcoat's new film, The Proposition, erupts in a burst of bloodshed and bullets as a gang of "bushrangers" engage in a shootout with a raggedy band of policemen led by British law officer Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone). It's Stanley's job to rid the region of all good-for-naughts and he has his blazing gun-sights set on the notoriously brutal Burns brothers, who are recently most wanted for the ghastly rape and murder of a local pregnant woman.After weathering the hail of bullets, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his fourteen-year-old brother Mikey are forced to surrender to Cpt. Stanley, who ultimately offers Charlie an intriguing proposition: if Charlie finds and kills his savage and elusive older brother, and leader of the Burns Gang, Arthur (Danny Huston) a pardon will be given to Charlie and Mikey. However, if Charlie fails to kill Arthur, on Christmas morning Mikey will be removed from the jail, ensuring that on that day - much to the delight of locals hungry for revenge - more than just mere stockings will be hung.That's the basic setup for The Proposition - a film that is fueled more by brutal realism than nostalgic romanticism, and is simply the best Western to come down the pike in many a moon.Director John Hillcoat has fashioned a Western that, while specific to the Australian Outback of the 1880s in which it is set, is also rooted in the Western traditions which many moviegoers, and you can count me among them, are yearning to see stirring up dust on the big screen once again. The Proposition is not merely a retread however. The film scripted by singer/songwriter Nick Cave (in a purported three weeks no less!) is an unabashed throwback to classic Western archetypes and themes, but the material has enough imagination and originality that it never feels tedious, or simply redundant. Without giving away details which might compromise the film, suffice it to say, at times the story also seems to use familiar setups as a way of playing with genre stereotypes and audience expectations, which it then slightly subverts, to somewhat surprising, if not altogether "rousing" effect.As mentioned, Cave and director John Hillcoat seem to have approached the material with a focus on realism over artifice, or any old-timey romantic notions about violence. The Proposition is an often brutal and ugly film. All the same, the jarring in-your-face bloodshed is not poured on for entertainment value, but rather, as the grisly and unsettling outcome of men destined to clash in an awe-inspiring yet unforgiving landscape ruled by ruthless brutality.The look of the film complements the story perfectly, balancing the oft-times beautiful and harsh elements that are prevalent to both the Outback, and the story in which it is set. Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does an excellent job capturing the glorious beauty of a multi-hued sunset, or a sparkling, star-dappled night sky against a silhouette of naked tree branches. He then contrasts such eye-catching imagery with the deadly, rippling blaze of the sun, or an immense buzzing cloud of flies - an omnipresent harbinger of death that crawls into mouths and literally covers people's clothing. In addition to this, the radiating heat of the desert is almost tangible throughout The Proposition - the fiery eye of the sun seemingly unrelenting as it beats down on the film's sweat-soaked, grime-caked characters.Thematically the film makes good use of the contrast between the emerging civilization and the "uncivilized" violence that is a result of that burgeoning community's attempt to tame an "untamed" land. To be sure, much of the film's conflict relies on this balance, which proves to be anything but harmonious. As refinements of modern civilization tend to give way under the strain caused by the harsh desert locale, a clash with primitive survival instincts emerges, and violence appears to supersede any notions of civility.The character Arthur Burns, an intelligent, educated man who is also perhaps the most savagely violent character in The Proposition, is also the one person who appears to have reconciled the two, attaining a personal balance by embracing his primitive violent tendencies with the cultural refinement he obviously possesses. The fact that many of the Aboriginal tribesmen in the area believe that Arthur is a man that transforms into an animal underscores this concept.In relation to this, the characters Cpt. Stanley, a civil authority, and Charlie Burns, a criminal, might appear to be at opposite ends of the struggle between civil order and barbarous acts, but both epitomize this conflict for balance, their parallel story arcs mirroring each other, and effectively dovetailing by film's end. Overall, this conflict at the heart of the film and its characters is an intriguing aspect of The Proposition, and one which enriches the overall viewing experience.Another of the film's highlights is a truly remarkable cast. Apart from the lead actors already mentioned, and who all do great work, Emily Watson plays the role of Emma - Cpt. Stanley's genteel British wife who has been transplanted to the inhospitable Australian desert environs, and whom Cpt. Stanley struggles desperately to shield the violent realities of his occupation from. Also, the great John Hurt appears as a grizzled bounty hunter named Jellon Lamb, patiently biding his time in an attempt to eventually nab the elusive, verging on mythical, eldest Burns brother, Arthur. Last, David Wenham, most famous for his role as Faramir in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, does an outstanding job playing Cpt. Stanley's despicable, bloodthirsty superior, Eden Fletcher.To be certain, The Proposition is obviously not for moviegoers hoping for light entertainment, nor does it aim to be a feel-good shoot 'em up crowd-pleaser. Also, Western fans hoping for lasso tricks and campfire sing-alongs simply need not apply. Instead, The Proposition offers a really well-made, engrossing film, with interesting and believable characters, and some excellent performances. The subject matter is dark, at times verging on nihilistic, and the filmmakers are unflinching in their approach to the material and violence without being excessive. While I don't foresee the film doing a "dough-si-dough" at the box-office, The Proposition is a damn fine movie that will hopefully find an audience. For fans of the Western genre's more uncompromising films, it's a movie not to be missed.

DVD Review: Virgins From Hell

Brian K — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 08:14:03 EDT

Mondo Macabro's latest delirious dose of "wild world cinema" opens in a smoke-hazed gambling house where the stakes are high, and evidently so was the camera operator. The camera swoops above the action like an injured mallard, revealing a cluster of poker-faced patrons seated around a swelling pile of moolah (the official Indonesian currency).However, all bets are off when a female motorcycle gang clad in primary-colored leather, armed with assault rifles, and fueled with feminine fury lay waste to the house of cards, before finally making off with all the Indonesian currency they can get their murderous, albeit well-manicured, hands on.After this bit of thuggery, and a largely out-of-focus motorcycle montage wherein the gaggle of gals look more lethargic than lethal, the motorcycle gang returns to their secluded hideout. Once inside, the money is counted, but when the leader of the gang reveals that instead of being equally distributed, the loot will be used to buy weapons -- so that she can destroy the diabolical Mr. Tiger, thus avenging the death of her parents -- tempers flare and some requisite biker babe bickering quickly ensues.Meanwhile, Mr. Tiger is busy being wicked inside his fake-ass castle. With the help of a mop-headed medical student, Mr. Tiger has created a super-duper, special, secret female sex serum which he plans to use in order to take over the world's aphrodisiac market! But, before Mr. Tiger can push his product onto GNC shelves everywhere, that pesky pack of biker babes arrives, ready for a rumble. For some unknown reason the motorcycle gang shows up without new weapons, or for that matter, any semblance of a plan. All the same, they do have a zippy little Suzuki Samurai with yellow lightning bolt decals. Though shocking it may be, even this is not enough to defeat Mr. Tiger and his heavily armed and brightly costumed legion of chubby, middle-aged men.The dozen or so girls who survived Mr. Tiger's bullet blazing counterattack are tossed into one of his large cave-like dungeons. Beset by constant infighting, backstabbing and hair-pulling, the gang of girls eventually begin working together (well, sort of) in an effort to survive brutal tortures, a lesbian warden, and horny henchmen. Despite this brief bout of camaraderie, a more important question still lingers - will the gals ever manage to escape the evil wine-wielding clutches of Mr. Tiger, and if so, might they put an end to his diabolism and countless costume changes... with hymens intact?With their recent releases of For Your Height Only, The Deathless Devil, Tarkan Versus the Vikings, and now Virgins From Hell, the good people at Mondo Macabro have put out some of the wackiest, most deliriously bizarre, off-the-wall-funny movies I've seen available on DVD. Along with the madcap plot and characters I've described, the acting is atrocious, the action inept and many of the interiors are about as gaudily tasteless as can be imagined (although I would love to have the portrait of a horse Mr. Tiger has hanging next to his whips). Fight scenes and violence abound, but it's all so unskillfully enacted and comically absurd that laughter seems the only probable response.In terms of sex, that which might have been included to titillate, like everything else, doesn't necessarily have the desired effect, but is nevertheless amusing and only adds to the laughter that the film will surely elicit. I'm not entirely certain what intentions the filmmakers behind Virgins From Hell (and other films of this ilk) may have had, but I can say with some amount of assurance that they wanted to entertain, and in this they succeeded admirably. Simply put, these films are so bad they're brilliant.Mondo Macabro's release of this film is really above par. Virgins From Hell is presented in a remastered anamorphic widescreen print that really looks much better than one would expect given the obscure nature of the title. The audio is quite clear, without any fluctuations or noticeable imperfections - making it all the easier to hear the silly dialogue, a stolen section from the score to Dune, and a quirky instrumental version of The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin." The first disc also includes a trailer for Virgins From Hell, background information on the Women In Prison genre from Pete Tombs, and the Mondo Macabro previews trailer. Virgins From Hell also comes with a second disc that is sure to keep the party going with "70 minutes of trailers from the studio behind Virgins From Hell." The trailers run the gamut with supernatural martial arts spectaculars, more women in prison films, horror, crime films, jungle adventure and even war films. Finally, a documentary on Indonesian cinema is included, and will look familiar to those who already own Mondo's excellent Lady Terminator release. So, with a fun feature film, a bevy of great extras and the most fashion-conscious villain in cinema history, what more could fans of "the wild side of world cinema" possibly ask for?

Movie Review: Slither

Brian K — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 06:57:18 EST

The new horror-comedy Slither, written and directed by James Gunn, quickly sets the tone, revealing both its intentions and influences with an appropriately traditional opening shot that recalls many a sci-fi/monster movie. A meteor hurtles through outer space, while in the big, black void beyond, we see the planet Earth, spinning like a bright blue bull's-eye... the perfect target for space debris of the traditionally villainous variety. Meanwhile on Earth, in the small town of Wheelsy, a seemingly dim-witted police duo whittle away the evening inside their police cruiser as, unbeknownst to them, the smoldering meteor suddenly blazes across the night sky, crashing in the not-too-distant distance.It's the dawn of deer hunting season in Wheelsy, and Wheelsians young and old are ready and raring to reassert their rightful place atop the old food chain high above their antlered inferiors. Coincidentally, sexy school teacher Starla Grant (Elizabeth Banks) is busy discoursing on Darwin's theory of evolution. Being a young and attractive woman, it's not surprising that Starla's distracted students are far more ardent in their amour for their curvaceous teacher than they are for any of that dusty old Darwinism, of which Starla seems the sole devotee. Sharing in her student's lustful sentiments is Starla's oldster hubby Grant Grant (Michael Rooker), who is very much devoted to his wife. All the same, it becomes clear that things are not all rosy and racy at home when later that evening, Grant attempts to give vent to his passions with a suggestion of sex, and Starla rebuffs his advances, apologizing for not being in the mood. Withered and woebegone, Grant wends his way towards a tavern to give his sorrows a proper Pabst Blue Ribbon beer bath. Seated in the bar and hunkered behind a bunker of beer bottles, Grant is approached by a fellow lonely-heart named Brenda. Soon thereafter the lovelorn twosome are traipsing and tripping through the woods when Grant stumbles upon a strange, goo-strewn pod. After engaging in some tried and true backwoods science by prodding the pod with a carefully chosen stick, something erupts and shoots from the pod, and appears to enter Grant's body. Confused, but believing he is okay, Grant hurries home to his beloved Starla. Despite his beliefs, over the next couple of days Grant's appetites continue to grow and expand, and his insatiable voracity begins to emerge in the form of bodily mutations. With small town life suddenly spinning out of control, an unimaginable horror continues to evolve, adding a new link to the food chain, and ensuring that before long hunters will become the hunted, now that humans are on the menu.Horror-comedies are indeed a tricky lot. The tightrope walk between what is frightful and what is funny often proves too precarious a permutation, sending movies that aim to have audiences scream in terror one minute and shriek with laughter the next, rapidly plummeting in a fiery heap to their blazing box-office deaths. Even so, there are those occasions when the balance between horror and hilarity is just right. This result can be a unique film hybrid that succeeds in evoking two of our most basic human responses, and combining two popular movie genres, that on the surface, seem completely dissimilar. Certainly, there are plenty of horror movies that briefly utilize humor for comic relief, or at the opposite end, films like Young Frankenstein or the Scary Movie franchise, which are strictly comedies spoofing popular horror films. Still, neither of these "types" are horror-comedies in the truest sense. With this in mind however, for the perfect example of a film that truly does fit the bill, one need look no further than James Gunn's monstrously funny fright-film, Slither. When watching Slither, Gunn's directorial debut, one can sense the pure joy and adoration the director/screenwriter has for horror movies as throughout the film Gunn proudly displays his numerous inspirations like a B-movie badge of honor. Whether it's David Cronenberg's '70s shockers Shivers and Rabid, low-budget sci-fi horror like The Deadly Spawn, or Frank Henenlotter's humorous '80s horror hybrids, Slither is a blood-drenched, slime-covered love letter that gives horror film enthusiasts something to celebrate. At the same time, one need not be a "horror buff" to enjoy Slither however, as it is just a fun, highly likeable movie in general, and as such, should prove an entertaining, and possibly disgusting, viewing experience even to audience members unfamiliar with the film's predecessors, or who may miss the various winks and nods.Although Slither's basic story cannot be lauded for being innovative, necessarily, it is really quite clear that this was not one of Gunn's concerns, nor apparently, an aspiration. Rather, he has managed, quite handily, to rejuvenate some rather worn-out horror movie concepts and conventions with an abundance of wit, humor -- and yes -- originality. For this reason Slither never feels stale, or like the slimy "creatures featured" in the film, sluggish. This is of course a breath of fresh air in a genre that, truth be told, has begun to feel as imaginatively stagnant as someone who uses phrases like, "a breath of fresh air."In his director's chair debut, James Gunn does an exceptional job bringing his ideas to life onscreen. Visually, the film is not overly extravagant but nor is it boring, and the somewhat restrained, deceptively simple approach benefits the film overall. The special effects are a successfully effective melding of the traditional variety with state of the art CG, and what may have perhaps looked like cheesy, hackneyed hokum in another film, actually works quite wonderfully here. The cast does a very fine job in Slither, and the major characters that populate the film, while not profound or multilayered (which they need not be), are really nicely written. Despite numerous recent examples, and plenty of opinions to the contrary, Slither also proves that characters in horror films, even if they are simple, can be likeable. Unlike their multi-tentacled, slime-coated, blood-quaffing counterparts, the main human characters that the audience is supposed to relate to, or at the very least get behind in Slither, are engaging, oft-times funny, in some cases moderately intelligent, and for all of these reasons, decidedly human and easy to root for. Thankfully Slither also employs the classic monster movie tradition (think of the well-known Frankenstein monster for an example) wherein those aspects of the creature that are identifiably human still manage to emerge from beneath all of the deformities and ugliness, thus making the "monster" a somewhat sympathetic and ultimately tragic figure.Apart from perhaps a couple of very brief lulls in Slither, the film is without any major problems. In all it is simply a very lively, highly-entertaining, tightly-scripted, out-and-out funny horror movie that should have some audience members squirming in their seats. Fans of recent horror-comedies like Dead & Breakfast, or Bubba Ho-tep should also have a lot of fun with Slither, a movie that is truly the best laugh-filled fright film since Shaun of the Dead and a gruesome gut-buster bound to become a horror-comedy classic. Now don't let my slutty quote whoring hinder you - just get to the theater and have yourself a bloody good time!

DVD Review: The Pyjama Girl Case

Brian K — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 06:10:18 EST

As one of the lesser-known giallo titles (gialli are a type of Italian thriller), soon to be released to DVD by those purveyors of delectable cinematic delights, Blue Underground, The Pyjama Girl Case is also an atypical entry in this most distinctive of genres. For example, the film is based (quite loosely) on an actual unsolved murder committed in the 1930s, that to this day is still enveloped in deception and mystery. Much of the film was also shot in Australia, where the murder took place, removing the film from the typical and familiar Euro locales for which gialli are so well known. The film opens on a beach where a young girl clutching an umbrella and a doll wends her way up the sandy, picturesque shoreline. Nearby, motorbikes race through the crashing surf as the girl sits next to an abandoned wreck of a car. Suddenly the little girl screams as a charred, lifeless arm falls from the mangled wreck, and rests its twisted hand on the doll's head. Once removed from the wreckage, it's discovered that the corpse is that of a woman whose face is so disfigured that the yellow pyjamas which she is found wearing serve as the major clue to her identity. While busy spritzing the orchids in his glorious greenhouse, a semi-retired Inspector named Thompson receives a phone call from one of his colleagues about the unidentified woman's body, and the mystery surrounding it. Eager to trade in his flower mister for a flowering mystery, Thompson goes gum-shoeing once again in his search for both the identity of the woman, and her vicious killer(s). This is a film that may leave those who possess a strict definition of what defines a giallo a little disappointed. In addition to the aforementioned departures, The Pyjama Girl Case does not feature a string of bloody, carnage-crazed murders and a faceless killer dispatching undressed damsels. Rather, there is only one murder, which serves as the catalyst for the film, and the ensuing investigation. Also, whereas the police are often on the periphery of gialli, in The Pyjama Girl Case they are on the forefront, the results of which are a film that is more police procedural than gore-gushing, mayhem-filled murder mystery. In addition to familiar faces like the debonaire Mel Ferrer, and the fetching Dalila Di Lazzaro, the film features the acting talents of Academy Award-winner Ray Milland as the over-the-hill Inspector Thompson. Milland turns in a nice, and surprisingly spry performance as the curmudgeonly Inspector who everyone thinks is long past his prime, and whose unflagging desire to investigate is merely tolerated by his peers due to his decorated past. In part, the role Milland plays mirrors his own career as an actor whose best years, and most highly regarded roles, were far behind him. In addition to Milland's performance, Thompson's storyline really anchors the film and his investigation is far more interesting, and substantially more bizarre, than that of his humdrum fellow investigators. Unfortunately, the storyline for Inspector Thompson, shopworn it may be, is mishandled quite badly as the film progresses, and as a result, The Pyjama Girl Case ultimately suffers for it.The film was directed and co-written by Flavio Mogherini, a veteran production designer and art director who worked in that capacity on many films, including Mario Bava's eye-candy spectacular Diabolik. Far less remarkable, The Pyjama Girl Case meanders a little too much -- take for example a lengthy strolling sequence featuring lawn bowling, archery and lawn hockey -- and is beset by a lot of cutaways that oft-times seem silly and unmotivated. Not all is bleak, however, and for the most part the film looks nice, even if it isn't always impressive. As part of this Spanish Italian co-production, both Carlo Carlini (The Big Gundown, Death Rides a Horse) and Raul Artigot (who worked with the likes of Jess Franco and Amando de Ossorio) are credited with the cinematography. There are some memorable images in the film, a favorite being Inspector Thompson inside his lush, brightly-lit greenhouse at night, which is set against a drab, decaying facade in the background.Although there are problems with the film's story and the characters, the actual narrative structure is easily one of The Pyjama Girl Case's highlights. The plotting seems fairly standard and straightforward for the majority of the film, but its simplicity is indeed deceptive as it only serves to emphasize a great surprise narrative twist. To modern movie audiences it's a somewhat familiar narrative subversion, but it still works and I imagine it will please and surprise a lot of viewers. Unfortunately the film's synthesized score and some odd musical cues tend to undermine the proceedings. The musical bungling continues as The Pyjama Girl Case also features two songs sung by Amanda Lear (the aptly titled "Yellow Pajama" and the somewhat befuddling "Look at Her Dancing") whose Nico-esque vocal stylings are not nearly as interesting as the fact that she was once romantically linked to David Bowie and was a protege to Salvador Dali.Though it is not a classic giallo, and despite its numerous shortcomings, The Pyjama Girl Case is a worthwhile diversion and is certainly worth a look for fans of the genre. Blue Underground does a wonderful job in restoring and bringing this little-seen film to DVD. The remastered print looks great, with vibrant, saturated colors in some scenes, and rest assured, you can now enjoy all of those swanky and skanky 70s interiors with almost nary a blemish. The film is presented with a mono English language track, and while I would usually complain and ask for the Italian track and English subs, in this case it's preferable to be able to hear Milland's voice. The DVD, which isn't exactly bursting with extras, does include a 30-minute documentary titled The Pyjama Girl Mystery: True Story of Murder, Obsession and Lies, in which the author of a book about the real pyjama girl murder mystery discusses the historical details and facts surrounding the case. It's an interesting bonus feature that complements the film nicely. Further DVD extras include the original theatrical trailer, and an eight-page graphic novel, The Pyjama Girl by Eddie Campell - the comic artist best known for illustrating From Hell.

DVD Review: Female Yakuza Tale

Brian K — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 12:17:30 EST

The lovely Reiko Ike reprises her role as the gambling, pick-pocketing, limb-lopping Ocho in this outlandish sequel to the aptly titled exploitation gem, Sex and Fury. Female Yakuza Tale quickly reintroduces Ocho and reestablishes the tone of the previous film with a slow motion, rain-soaked title sequence wherein our heroine takes on a dozen male assailants armed with only sex appeal and a deadly, bright red umbrella. One by one the men lose their lives, while their executioner loses only her clothing.Following this, Ocho arrives in Kobe via steamship and is greeted by a quiet young woman who leads her to an awaiting rickshaw. The rickshaw drops her off at a dimly-lit building, but before Ocho can even say howdy-do, she is chloroformed by a group of men who then string up her limp body before relieving Ocho of her troublesome kimono. After she is revived with a series of slaps across the face, a chubby, effeminate man - who constantly licks his lips in a lasciviously, grotesque manner - violates Ocho with his fingers. It turns out that in addition to being a creep, the man is actually searching for something, and is surprised when he finds nothing hidden inside Ocho. Realizing they have the wrong woman, the men (who also understand that oft-times apologies are more difficult to make than escapes), knock the still kimono-less Ocho unconscious...again.A blurry-eyed, groggy-headed Ocho wakes up, but of course, the nightmare continues -- Ocho finds a bloody knife clutched in her hand, a dead woman laying next to her, and herself framed as a suspect in a recent string of gruesome deaths dubbed "The Crotch-Gouge Murders." Ocho vows to exact revenge on the men who have defiled her and set her up as a murderess -- by murdering them. While in pursuit of the men however, Ocho uncovers a drug smuggling operation, stumbles into the middle of a Yakuza power struggle, and forms an alliance with an ass-kicking nun and her posse of enslaved prostitutes, all of which dovetails into an out-of-this-world finale full of blood, bullets, boobs, and gelled lighting.Female Yakuza Tale is a really entertaining, action-packed, violent piece of sexploitation cinema. Director Teruo Ishii (Blind Beast vs. Killer Dwarf) created a film bursting with energy, humor, originality, and visual flair. For example, where else are you going to see a mustache get shot off one man's face only to land on some other guy's upper lip? Or for that matter, thirty nude women eviscerating a roomful of mobsters - in heels? In addition, the overall production values are really good, featuring some extremely fantastic cinematography, great locations and costumes, and a large talented cast. Female Yakuza Tale's funky '70s score is also a lot of fun and overall really complements the film, while at times elevating the weirdness.The script juggles a handful of storylines and characters, but is really quite cohesive and balanced throughout. My only complaint in this area is that the Sister Yashima character is given a great introduction, but is then absent for long stretches and is ultimately never as promising an addition as she initially seemed. However, the focus is on Ocho (the lack of which was one of the problems I had with Sex and Fury) and Reiko Ike is a charismatic screen presence who gives a great, and probably physically taxing, performance.Panik House presents the film "uncut, uncensored and totally restored from the vault elements " and it looks absolutely flawless. Special features include audio commentary by Chris D. (author of Outlaw Masters of Japanese Cinema), director and star bios, the original theatrical trailer, a poster and stills gallery, production notes, a special insert sticker, and optional English subtitles. This is a really great DVD release of an equally excellent and exceptional film that you would be wise to check out.

DVD Review: The Pinky Violence Collection

Brian K — Wed, 8 Mar 2006 18:00:15 EST

The first film featured in Panik House's sensational Japanese 1970's exploitation film collection, Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess, opens appropriately enough with a bunch of rough-looking delinquent girls watching a movie inside the less-than-cozy confines of their reformatory. Within minutes a requisite girl riot ensues after the principal has the screening stopped, and the aforementioned authoritarian soon finds himself the target of a roomful of unfocused adolescent anger, in addition to a well-aimed pair of pink panties. This type of unruly behavior requires a proper chastening of course, so before you can say Marco Polo, the giggling gals are sent off to avail themselves of all inhibitions and clothing, before frolicking in a hot, steamy bath.The following day the film's heroine, Rika, encounters an old man wandering outside the reformatory's chain-linked perimeter. Rather than being a pervert on the prowl for some of that sweet delinquent girl loving, he turns out to be the worried father of a girl named Midori, who refuses to see him. The old man hands Rika a childhood keepsake to give to his daughter, but when Rika attempts to fulfill the old man's request, Midori angrily and mysteriously refuses to accept her father's gift.Months later, after being released from the reformatory, Rika struts her stuff (like only a delinquent fresh from the stir can), and wards off a group of gangsters with her patented dose of tough talk and sass, before finally arriving at Midori's father's house to say hi and return the keepsake. The old man learns that Rika is without a place to stay, so he kindly offers her a vacant room in his humble home, as well as a job in his busy auto repair shop. After this everything is all lug nuts and laughter until Rika learns Midori, who was also released from the reformatory some time ago, is continuing to run slipshod on her poor old father's lonesome heart. It turns out that his absentee daughter's boyfriend is accruing some pretty substantial gambling debts, and out of love for Midori, the old man is paying off the gangsters who are keen on collecting. Having become something of a surrogate daughter, Rika wants to help the old feller, but as she becomes more involved, danger steadily escalates until it's only a matter of time before Rika trades in her tire-iron for a samurai sword, and we find out why exactly it's worthless for a delinquent girl boss to confess.Japan's notorious Toei studios released a series of four Delinquent Girl Boss films (which fall into a genre known as Sukeban) at the dawn of the 1970s directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi and starring Reiko Oshida. Worthless to Confess is the final, and according to the DVD, finest film in the series. Although the film features more melodrama than mayhem, it is an entertaining film capped off by a violent, nicely "executed" climax that should satiate those ravenous for some bright red bloodletting. In contrast to this, Worthless to Confess is sturdily anchored by a familial kindness and sentimentality that juxtaposes and complements the violence inherent to the genre, making the eventual eruption of onscreen violence even more potent. The film features a fairly large cast of characters, but apart from a few exceptions, most remain memorable, and there is little confusion to be had for viewers who pay attention, and who are not prone to unscheduled lapses in consciousness (if you've made it this far, pardon the redundancy). The story and its plot are cohesive, if at times slightly unbalanced, and while by no means overly sophisticated, the narrative is interesting and amusing enough to amuse and interest.Like the violence, the film, on the whole, is also more restrained in its visual approach, again letting loose during the denouement. However, at points in the film, especially in the cabaret sequences, a Pop art influence is evident in the bright primary colors that are employed and which grab, or depending on sensibilities, possibly repel, the viewer's eye. There is a garishness that, while not as pervasive in Worthless to Confess, is a staple to the visual scheme found in Japanese exploitation films from the '70s, and while terms like garish and melodramatic are often connotatively stigmatic, these are the very cinematic attributes which distinguish and elevate many of these films, and make for a comparatively sublime viewing experience. So in short, while DGB: Worthless to Confess didn't knock my metaphorical socks off, it is a good film, well worth a look, and is a good, if atypical, introduction to The Pinky Violence Collection.The second film in the collection, Girl Boss Guerilla stars Miki Sugimoto as Sachiko, the sexy but severe boss of an all-girl motorcycle gang. Sporting matching red helmets and red scarves, the group of girls, who call themselves the Red Helmet Gang (possibly because the much tougher sounding Red Scarf Gang was already spoken for) travel from their hometown to the nearby city of Kyoto, making only one brief stop along the way to give a pack of easy riders the thorough drubbing they deserve.Shortly after arriving and realizing they're hurting for money, the girls waste no time in shaking down the Kyoto citizenry, whether it be luring lonely men in for sex, stealing from fundraisers, or overcharging bewildered young couples for having their pictures taken. When the Red Helmet Gang notices a local girl gang with a yen for yen rivaling their own stealing from a group of high schoolers, Sachiko confronts the local gang's leader and demands they hand over the money. This confrontation sets off a fingernail-splintering series of fights between the ladies full of flying fists, torn tops, and bared breasts. After the dust has settled, and the makeup is reapplied, Sachiko and her Red Helmet hellions emerge victorious. Usurping her nemesis, Sachiko becomes the new Kyoto girl boss, combines the local gang with her own, but in the process also takes on the unfortunate responsibility of answering to a powerful and greedy local chapter of yakuza. Being hot-tempered, headstrong and unwilling to share her gang's spoils, Sachiko finds herself in a constant struggle against the demanding yakuza.During one such struggle in an alley, a burgeoning boxer steps in to lend a fist or two in Sachiko's defense. In no time a love-struck Sachiko is down for the count, and mixing it up beneath the sheets with her deadly but dashing pugilistic paramour. The next day Sachiko and her girl gang escape to a seaside resort where Sachiko's boxing beau is training. However rain clouds in the form of vengeful yakuza soon gather over the idyllic locale, and Sachiko and her gang of ferocious femmes are forced to employ both toughness and trickery in attempt to stay alive by at last destroying their meddlesome male oppressors.Despite its many fine qualities, Girl Boss Guerilla flirts with being an excellent exploitation film, but upon its conclusion reveals itself to be merely a very good one. There are several sequences deranged enough to leave rabid exploitation film viewers rapturous, but a few snags in the plotting equal lags in the film, and a somewhat mediocre conclusion pales when compared to the trail of exploitative audacity leading up to it. This aspect is all the more disappointing since oft-times films of this ilk steadily whip themselves towards a frenzy-filled finale. Nevertheless, Girl Boss Guerilla is still a very entertaining entry in the realm of '70s crackpot cinema and is definitely worth watching.Director Norifumi Suzuki (School of the Holy Beast, Sex and Fury) again proves that his reputation as one of Toei's most provocative talents is not unwarranted. In addition to the delirium of sex and violence, Suzuki peppers the film with his familiar prescription of blasphemous portraitures, which in "Girl Boss Guerilla" are more along the lines of humorous high-jinks than inflammatory religious indictments. Comedy is a primary ingredient in this film, and more often than not it works, inducing chuckles instead of groans - which is something that does not hold true for a lot of Japanese exploitation films from this period. The cast is again quite good featuring familiar faces to the genre, including Miki Sugimoto, Reiko Ike and Toru Abe. As with the other Toei films that I've seen, Girl Boss Gorilla belies its relatively small budget with a film that is also visually captivating thanks to some topnotch filmmaking. The next film, Terrifying Girls' High School: Lynch Law Classroom, gets things off to a rollicking start with a torture sequence inside the science lab at an all girls school. Clad in bright red surgical masks and gloves to match, a group of schoolgirls tie up a fellow classmate, who now struggles with more than just her grades as her assailants lacerate her exposed breasts with a glinting scalpel, and slowly begin draining blood from her arm into a bulbous glass tube. Believing she is on the brink of certain death, the captive girl breaks free of her restraints and flees to the roof, only to learn that death is indeed certain, and comes dressed in a cute Japanese schoolgirl uniform. Officials at The School of Hope (an institute that prides itself on turning wayward girls into good wives and daughters) pad the pockets of local authorities who in return report that the death of the girl, whose name was Michiyo, was an unfortunate accident. Following this, three new delinquents are transferred to the school: a swinging sexpot named Kyoko Kubo, a toughie named Razor-blade Remi, and a crucifix-carrying girl boss named Noriko Kazama, aka The Boss with the Cross. Immediately this troublesome trio is butting heads and exchanging bitch slaps with the school's disciplinary squad - a clique of schoolgirls who are paid to terrorize and torture anyone who crosses them, or is foolhardy enough to run afoul of the school. When Noriko discovers that her chum, and once lovable lieutenant in her girl gang, Michiyo was murdered, she makes it her mission, however perilously torture-filled it may be, to destroy the kill-happy cuties and fiendish faculty members responsible for Michiyo's death.Again, Norifumi Suzuki was at the helm on this picture, leaving one to speculate on the number of cinematic treasures littered amid his filmography that have yet to be experienced by Western audiences. The film boasts some indelible, nightmarish imagery and arresting compositions, elevating its stature to that of a formidable work of exploitative art. In this regard, it's interesting to note that the trailer for the film features some eye-catching moments (for example, over fifty schoolgirls wielding clubs and charging at each other in a dirt lot) that are absent from the film itself. While these expurgations are a mystery, the already over-the-top film has plenty of maniacal material to feast upon however, and should leave most viewers more than satisfied.In addition to Suzuki, the regular suspects are present, most notably the seemingly ubiquitous Reiko Ike and Miki Sugimoto. Both inhabit roles similar to those they've already played in other films, however, both are a lot of fun to watch, bringing with them a couple of tough, charismatic screen presences that benefit the film. In all, Terrifying Girls' School: Lynch Law Classroom is brimming with the kind of eroticism, unbridled sleaziness and demented violence that will leave some mouths agape, and have exploitation fans all agog. Mix political overtones amidst a schoolgirl riot into this already heady concoction, (not to mention the funky '70s score) and I believe it's fair to say the film approaches exploitation nirvana. The final film in this glorious girls-run-amuck collection is titled Criminal Woman: Killing Melody. The film stars Reiko Ike as Maki, a tough girl with a revenge-fueled grudge against a pack of local gangsters who kill her drunken, drug addict dad. As unnecessary as adding salt to a margarita glass full of tears, the pack of hyenas then gang rape poor grief-ridden Maki, thus stoking the white-hot embers of her fiery vengeance. Unfortunately when Maki, armed with with both her aforementioned vengeance and a big knife, tries to eviscerate one of the gangsters at a strip club, she is outnumbered and winds up getting tossed into the slammer.Now behind bars and with her thirst for revenge unquenched, Mika quietly bides her time, waiting for her release and retribution. Perhaps too quiet, several of Mika's fellow prisoners question her, but when she remains mum, the other gals find this disrespectful, which results in Mika fighting the toughest of the bunch, Masayo (Miki Sugimoto). With a tether between their teeth and long, jagged shards of glass in their hands, Mika and Masayo are encircled by the prison populace who watch with glee as the two pummel each other mercilessly. Mika loses the fight, but wins the respect of everyone by not giving up and fighting till she passes out. Soon thereafter, Mika gives up her silence however, choosing to open up about her past. This results in some girl bonding behind bars, and when finally released, Mika and her comrades in tight pants go after the gangsters who did her wrong.Criminal Woman: Killing Melody is a great one-two punch of Japanese girl power that rounds out the collection quite nicely. It combines elements of both the infamous women in prison genre with the somewhat lesser known (in the West anyway) Sukeban, to make for an enjoyable, action-packed movie hybrid. Director Atsushi Mibori does a great job staging some compelling action sequences, and though his visual approach is less dynamic than Norifumi Suzuki's, his presentation of the material is not bereft of inventiveness and is rarely boring.The only complaint I have is that the tough girl characters at the heart of the film are left out of many of the action sequences in the second half of the movie. This is due to a story element wherein the girls ignite a yakuza war between two rival gangs by tricking and fueling the paranoia of the unwitting gangsters. This inevitably puts the female characters on the periphery and makes it difficult for the girls to enter into the fray until later - which was slightly disappointing, even though the gang battles are a lot of fun. The film also features some funny moments, including a bizarre gangster who spits chewing gum with pin-point accuracy, and at a deadly velocity. The prerequisite torture sequences also run the gamut from using nipples as ashtrays, to the threat of a chain saw mastectomy. As horrific as this may sound, the nature of the film and its over-the-top staging during these types of scenes actually aids in alleviating moments which might otherwise be impossible for many viewers to endure. With all of this being said however, to put it simply, "Criminal Woman: Killing Melody" is yet another low-down and dirty high point in this superlative collection. The four films come in a nifty and slick hot pink package that includes a twenty-four page booklet written by Chris D., author of Outlaw Master of Japanese Film. The packaging is really nice, and I also liked the booklet - although some of the narrative details were incorrect. In addition, a CD entitled, Reiko Ike sings (which could be more aptly titled, Reiko Ike moans while someone in the band strangles balloons) is included, and is sure to have you shaking a tail feather (or at the very least, raising your eyebrows). Each of the films are presented in beautiful anamorphic Widescreen prints, with optional English subs. Informative commentaries are included with each film and feature the likes of Chris D., critics Andy Klein and Wade Major, Panik House president Matt Kennedy and columnist Wyatt Doyle. Additional features for each disc include, actress and director bios, original theatrical trailers (all of which have been re-mastered), poster and stills galleries, production notes, and the box set also comes with an insert sticker that is the same as the box set's cover. So with four films ranging from good to great, and a bounty of fine extras, this limited edition set is really a fantastic treasure chest of exploitation gold and I give it my highest recommendation!