This week's pick was selected for one quite compelling reason. It overtook the likes of The Little Mermaid and The Maltese Falcon. The reason for is the title. That's right, the title. It is as eye catching as it is a mouthful to say. It's a long title that probably goes a long way towards telling you exactly what is about.
This week's pick is none other than Mikadroid: Robokill Beneath Discoclub Layla. How can you go wrong with a title like that? Something tells me there is some sort of robot that kills a bunch people at a nightclub. Think I'm in the ball park?
The film was made in 1991 and hails from Japan, so that will possibly up the bizarre factor. For some reason, when I see the title, I immediately think of Mechanical Violator Hakaider. I doubt it will be the same thing, but both are from the same era of low budget science fiction weird flicks. The title alone is really what grabbed me. It just strikes me as something that will be a blast to watch, no matter how corny it may turn out to be.
The story starts out during World War II and an experiment to create android super-soldiers, but a bombing supposedly wipes out the experiments and the subjects. Jump to the present, something awakens the lone creation that had been deactivated under the remains, which was rebuilt as a night club. Sounds like fun.
Also out this week:
- The Little Mermaid. Disney breaks this classic out of the vault in a newly remastered two disk set. This was a wonderful film I will need to add to my collection.
- X-Men: The Last Stand. Fun as an action movie, disappointing as a comic book movie, more disappointing as a sequel to the excellent X2. Not awful, but could have been so much more.
- Stargate SG-1: The Complete Ninth Season. Nearing the end of its run, here is the first season that featured Ben Browder, of Farscape fame, on the team.
- Thank You for Smoking. The Jason Reitman helmed feature doesn't mine any new ground, but it is an extremely entertaining movie, and a fun look into the world of the lobbyists.
- The Maltese Falcon: Three Disk Special Edition. This is a great Bogey film, and a must own. I look forward to digging into the supplements of this big set.
- Scarface: Platinum Edition. Another release, this time featuring amped up sound effects. Why? I don't know.
- South Park: The Hits, Vol. 1. Hand picked episodes by the creators.
- Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels: Locked 'N Loaded Director's Cut. Good movie, not sure what they may have added to this cut.
- Abominable. Debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel, and surprise, surprise, it was halfway decent. You might even say it was downright fun. It will be nice to see the full uncut version.
- 21 Grams: Collector's Edition. An incredibly satisfying movie finally gets some extras.
- The Blood Trilogy: Blood Feast, Two Thousand Maniacs, Color Me Blood Red. Herschel Gordon Lewis directed trio of gore films. I have not experienced his bloodiness, and this looks like a good opportunity.
Article comments
1 - Alec
Chris - One of the great pleasures of the Maltese Falcon DVD set is that it includes the two previous versions of the film. There is a great NY Times review of this DVD set that deftly makes the point that Huston's 1941 version of the film explodes the conventional wisdom that remakes are always inferior to the "original" versions of a film. The two previous versions of the film were made in 1931 and 1936. In addition, the 1931 version is in some places more faithful to the source material (Sam Spade has an adulterous relationship with his partner's wife, some of the bad guys appear to be gay, etc.) and the 1936 version is surprisingly comical.
Enjoy