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Folks, it should go without saying that not every Science Fiction and/or Fantasy saga that 'comes down the pike' will bring joy and delight to fans everywhere.  Such is, simply, the nature of existence: some stories resonate more strongly with some, and others do end up, perhaps, taxing different minds to their wits' end.  Me?  I try to find joy in celebrating All Things Genre, and -- by doing so -- I try to reserve whatever downsides I might feel personally only in film and TV reviews. Generally speaking, I champion all releases ... and then I'll tell you what I feel about them only in the appropriate space and time.

With that qualifier out of the way, I'm still thrilled to have a good many fans of the Twilight Saga amongst my readership.  Though I understand the opinion of those who suggest the Stephenie Meyer Universe may've set back vampiric masculinity by centuries, I still applaud the persistence of seeing a story through to its ending.  Certainly, there are scores and scores of men and women who found it equally inspired; and, thus, another franchise was born into our collective consciousness.

Well ... wouldn't you just love to own that thing all for your lonesome?

I've received some of the promotional press materials for the forthcoming home video release of The Twilight Saga: The 15th Anniversary Steelbook Collection, and I wanted to pass along the stunning wealth of particulars for those considering making a purchase.  Think what you will about the film and its sequels, but I would love to see any number of franchises and stand-alone flicks this kind of supplemental materials.  It's an astounding collection, and I'll be doing the copy-and-paste below to bring you all up-to-speed with what's in store.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
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Timed to the 15th anniversary of the first film in the franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION – 15TH ANNIVERSARY arrives on a SteelBook® 4K Ultra HD™ (4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital) on November 14th at Best Buy from Lionsgate. Based on Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling novels with screenplays by Melissa Rosenberg (all five films), the film series was directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight), Chris Weitz (The Twilight Saga: New Moon), David Slade (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), and Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Parts 1 & 2), and a cast that included Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Billy Burke, Michael Sheen, and Dakota Fanning,
 
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS

Celebrate the 15th anniversary of the first Twilight film and experience Bella and Edward’s epic love story, the dangerous feud between vampires and werewolves, and more unforgettable moments in the entire 5-film collection of Twilight: The Complete Saga. This special anniversary collection comes with four art cards and seven pieces of interchangeable cover art. Includes Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 2, and over twelve hours of special features.
 
CAST
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Kristen Stewart                                              Spencer, Adventureland
Robert Pattinson                                            The Batman, Tenet
Taylor Lautner                                                Abduction, Valentine’s Day
Michael Sheen                                               TV’s Good Omens, Frost/Nixon
Dakota Fanning                                             War of the Worlds, TV’s The Alienist
 
SPECIAL FEATURES
 
TWILIGHT
 
4K UHD and BD:
Twilight Tour…10 Years Later featurette (10 mins)
A Conversation With Stephenie Meyer (23:34)
Music: The Heartbeat of Twilight (5:35)
Becoming Edward (7:28)
Becoming Bella (5:23)
Catherine Hardwicke's Vampire Kiss Montage (2:43)
Catherine Hardwicke's "Bella's Lullaby Remix" Music Video (3:59)
Edward's Piano Concert (2:34)
Twilight Cast Interview: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson (6:45)
Twilight Cast Interview: Cam Gigandet (5:41)
Twilight Cast Interview: Edi Gathegi and Rachelle Lefevre (6:05)
Twilight Premiere On The Red Carpet (7:36) 
Cast Interviews On The Red Carpet (4:56)
Stephenie Meyer Talks About The Twilight Saga (34:45)
 
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON
 
4K UHD:
Filmmaker Commentary with director Chris Weitz and editor Peter Lambert (RT Feature Length)
 
BD:
Filmmaker Commentary with director Chris Weitz and editor Peter Lambert (RT Feature Length)
The Journey Continues: 6-Part Documentary on The Making of The Twilight Saga: New Moon (RT 95 min)
     1. Life After Twilight (RT 4 min)
     2. Chris Weitz Take the Helm (RT 4 min)
     3. The Subtile Details (RT 8 min)
     4. A Look at Production (RT 30 min)
     5. It's Not Magic (RT 10 min)
     6. Ready for the World (RT 8 min)
Team Edward vs. Team Jacob: The Ultimate Love Triangle (RT 7 min)
Introducing The Wolf Pack (RT 9 min)
Becoming Jacob (RT 5 min)
Edward Goes to Italy (RT 7 min)
Extended Scenes (TRT 30 min)
     1. School Corridor (RT 1 min)
     2. English Class (RT 1 min)
     3. Carlisla Stitches Bella (RT 3 min)
     4. Scrap Metal (RT 4 min)
     5. Start of Cinema Lobby (RT 2 min)
     6. Meeting Laurent (RT 5 min)
     7. Jake in Bella's Room (RT 5 min)
     8. Outside Emily's (RT 2 min)
     9. Jake Drives Bella Home (RT 5 min)
    10. Leaving for Italy (RT 1 min)
    11. Edward Meets Volturi (RT 2 min)
    12. I See You're Still Alive (RT 1 min)
Exclusive The Twilight Saga: New Moon Cast Interviews (TRT 22 min)
     1. Robert Pattinson (RT 3 min)
     2. Kristen Stewart (RT 3 min)
     3. Taylor Lautner (RT 3 min)
     4. Chris Weitz (RT 4 min)
     5. The Cullen Family (RT 2 min)
     6. The Wolf Pack (RT 3 min)
     7. The Volturi (RT 3 min)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Live! Exclusive Webcast Event (RT 42 min)
Exclusive The Twilight Saga: New Moon Premiere Red Carpet Interviews (RT 6 min)
 
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
 
4K UHD:
Audio commentary with Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (RT Feature Length)
Audio commentary with Stephenie Meyer and Wyck Godfrey (RT Feature Length)
 
BD:
Audio commentary with Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (RT Feature Length)
Audio commentary with Stephenie Meyer and Wyck Godfrey (RT Feature Length)
The Making of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 6-Part Documentary (TRT 98 min)
     Part 1: Introducing David Slade (RT 5 min)
     Part 2: Pre-Production Setting the Stage (RT 12 min)
     Part 3: The Heart of Eclipse (RT 14 min)
     Part 4: The Dark Side of Eclipse (RT 14 min)
     Part 5: Lights, Camera, Action (RT 25 min)
     Part 6: Post-Production Leaps in Technology (RT 23 min)
Deleted and Extended Scenes
     Deleted Scenes (TRT 3 min)
          1. It's Not Life or Death (RT 2 min)
          2. I Can't Wait to See What You're Going To Do Next (RT 1 min)
     Extended Scenes (TRT 8 min)
         1. Just Keep The Window Closed (RT 1 min)
         2. From Now On Switzerland (RT 1 min)
         3. Someone's Creating an Army (RT 2 min)
         4. Bella, I Envy You (RT 2 min)
         5. What Did I Say About a Low Profile? (RT 1 min)
         6. Jacob's Thoughts Are Pretty Loud (RT 1 min)
Photo Gallery (RT 7 min)
"Neutron Star Collision" Music Video by Muse (RT 4 min)
"Eclipse (All Yours)" Music Video by Metric (RT 4 min)
 
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 1
 
4K UHD:
Audio Commentary with Director Bill Condon (RT Feature Length)
 
BD:
Audio Commentary with Director Bill Condon (RT Feature Length)
Love, Death, Birth: Filming The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 6-Part Documentary (TRT 87 min)
     1. A New Beginning (RT 11 min)
     2. The Wedding (RT 13 min)
     3. The Honeymoon (RT 20 min)
     4. The Wolf Pack (RT 16 min)
     5. The Pregnancy (RT 13 min)
     6. The Birth (RT 15 min)
Jacob's Destiny (RT 7 min)
Bella and Edward's Personal Wedding Video (RT 9 min)
Bruno Mars - "It Will Rain" Music Video (RT 4 min)
Christina Perri - "A Thousand Years" Music Video (RT 5 min)
Iron & Wine - "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" Music Video (RT 5 min)
The Belle Brigade - "I Didn't Mean It" Lyrics Video (RT 4 min)
 
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 2
 
4K UHD:
Audio Commentary with Director Bill Condon (RT Feature Length)
 
BD:
Audio Commentary with Director Bill Condon (RT Feature Length)
Forever: Filming The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (TRT 93 min)
     1. Rebirth (RT 14 min)
     2. Renesmee (RT 11 min)
     3. The Cottage (RT 10 min)
     4. The Gathering (RT 16 min)
     5. The Field (RT 15 min)
     6. The Battle (RT 18 min)
     7. Forever (RT 10 min)
Two Movies at Once (RT 6 min)
"The Forgotten" Green Day Music Video (RT 5 min)
Tingles & Chills: Special Vampire Powers (RT 9 min)
Carlisle's Contacts: The New Vampires (RT 12 min)
 
 
PROGRAM INFORMATION
 
Year of Production: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Title Copyright: TWILIGHT © 2008, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON © 2009, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE © 2010, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 1 © 2011, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 1 EXTENDED EDITION & THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN — PART 2 © 2012, Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2023 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. and related companies.
Type: Catalog Re-Release
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama
Closed-Captioned: N/A
4K Ultra HD Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH
Blu-Ray Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 607
4K Ultra HD Format: 16x9 (2.40:1), 2160P High Definition 
4K Ultra HD Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
Blu-ray Format: 16x9 (2.40:1), 1080P High Definition
Blu-ray Audio: Various
Artist Name: Flore Maquin
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Perhaps Eliphalet Oram Lyte said it best: “… life is but a dream.”
 
Setting aside the immortal debate involving religious and/or spiritual convictions, the best any of us can truly know is we get one ride for this particular attraction called ‘life,’ and we’re constantly encouraged to make the best of it.  Along the way, we experience an untold number of highs and lows, we commit what we can to memory, and we hope against hope that – come the big finish – it all, minimally, adds up to something.  That might take the shape of being fondly remembered by those whose lives we touched along the way, or – for those who’ve contributed more and continually ‘swung for the fences’ – it could mean being written about in history books.  Whatever the case, I think each of us hopes we’ll leave some positive impression for the things we accomplished, be they big or small.
 
But the current generation of our technological overlords have kinda/sorta found their own mechanisms to – say – ‘cheat the system.’  They’ve introduced a whole generation of creators and consumers to the world of Social Media (capitalized, you say?), and – by doing so – they’ve loosed a whole new Frankenstein of sorts that – dare I suggest? – perhaps even the Lord Almighty himself never anticipated this.  Whereas one’s life pursuits before this vanished in the ether, today they can be memorialized on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.com, forever enshrined in cyberspace for anyone who goes looking for a diversion, momentary or otherwise.
 
Never content to let an idea – good or bad – go to waste, our intellectual giants figured out a way to monetize this shared reality; and such a concept is at the heart of 2023’s rather interesting Share? from writer/director Ira Rosensweig.  Into this world comes #000000014 (played by Melvin Gregg), an inmate to some never-explained prison who figures out the key to improving what his lot in life has become requires entertaining others – via an unexplained video-link connection – who’ll them reward him in credits he can use for goods and services.  Apparently, there’s no way out of this Hellish landscape, but that may not be the entire truth … only if one’s willing to both think and act quick on his feet.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

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From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A man struggles to survive after awakening alone, trapped in a society connected only by primitive computers, where the ability to entertain is his only currency.  The first feature film ever to be shot entirely from one fixed camera angle.”
 
In short: wow.
 
As good as Share? is – and it is very, very good – it’s still as incomplete and/or inaccurate as the YouTube.com culture it decimates along the way.  I don’t think there’s any doubt to what Rosensweig intended here – presenting a bare bones existence honed all the way down to an obvious allegory to capitalism – and I suspect this award-winning writer, director, and producer hoped to inspire others to, at least, think about what they’re doing to themselves and the wide, wide world out there.  Ultimately, the problem with Share is that I don’t feel it ever truly figured out and stated categorically who’s at fault in its grand scheme of things.
 
As #000000014, Gregg gives a superb performance as a man who – for apparently no fault of his own – wakes up one day in prison with a web-streaming camera focused entirely on his four walls.  Slowly, he discovers that there’s no way out, but his surroundings and (to a smaller degree) his resources can be manipulated if he’s willing to work for it: viewers can express their appreciation of his antics (which, early on, consists of little more than farting and falling) by pledging credits through this computer economy.  With these earnings, #14 learns he can purchase food, cloths, and furnishings, all of which is delivered via a portal in the back wall.
 
Eventually, #14 also discovers that the video system can be used not unlike a video phone, giving him access to both his fans as well as streams from other inmates.  He’s eventually befriended and somewhat tutored to the far-reaching reality of the situation by #006395873 (Bradley Whitford) and even crafts a somewhat loving bond/relationship with #052605011 (Alice Braga), but one unfortunate and grisly demise inevitably has Gregg and Braga teaming up with the plot of enlisting the others trapped by this high-tech regime into a revolution.  After all, if you can’t bring them down from outside, then why not try it from within?
 
There’s a lot more to Share – the film tinkers with friendships in the virtual age as well as occasionally commenting on the legitimacy of affection with the loss of human contact – and I suppose it’s safe to suggest that Rosensweig and company had an awful, awful, awful lot on their mind that they wanted to say.

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My issue with it is that rather than pare all of this down to one central message, it would seem that Share wants to indict everyone involved – even the feel-good yoga instructor #038491828 (Danielle Campbell) whose daily exercise and affirmations quite logically was helping a lot of her fellow inmates minimally accept their Fate so that they, at least, didn’t go completely bonkers.  But because it’s all piled on excessively and perpetually, I think it’s hard to come away from its last scenes without feeling like we, the audience, are all the brunt of the joke … which clearly would be true as we sat through this unchallenged for 80+ minutes.  The ol’ “if you’re not part of the solution then you’re part of the problem” ideology always works when it’s tried, and when it’s all crafted and shilled this good then aren’t you, too, Mr. Rosensweig?
 
Share? (2023) was produced by Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC) and Wavemaker Creative.  A quick Google.com search shows that the film is presently available for rental or purchase via such platforms as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu.  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were exceptional; there are a few special effects sequences that do give off some obvious tech wizardry, but I didn’t find them distracting in the slightest.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no additional features under consideration.
 
Highly recommended.
 
As groundbreaking as the structure, format, and story to Share? (2023) might be, I still find it a bit hard to conclude what writer/director Rosensweig truly wanted to say about our world.  Clearly, one might determine that it’s all intended to be an indictment of where we’ve arrived at both culturally and technologically … but – at the end of it all – is it?  Is it really?  Or is it an accusation levelled at those who’ve figured out ‘the system’ and are trying to utilize it for their own personal gains?  Or is it, instead, a condemnation of our society at large for willfully and deliberately going along with it?  In the end, we might never know … and that’s also quite possibly what is being stated definitively.  Each of us takes what we wish from this wild ride, and – believe you me – there’s likely to be a helluva lot of discussion when we reach the end of this carnival attraction.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at XYZ Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to Share? for the expressed purpose of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ
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I’ve made it my business to avoid picking up B-Movies and other forgotten flicks.
 
In fact, I’ve always tried approaching every film or TV episode I review from the standpoint of dissecting what works and what doesn’t, commenting even on the efficacy of performances and the worth of production details.  It goes without saying that those features shot with better budgets do begin the journey to completion with a potentially stronger foundation, but that doesn’t mean the end product will be any more worth its reputation.  Granted, the world of low budget pictures isn’t for every Tom, Dick, Harry, Siskel, and Ebert; but there are some nuggets of theatrical joy to be found by those willing to put in a little bit of time along with a good deal of patience.
 
This is largely why I’m thrilled to take a gander into such pictures like Vampires And Other Stereotypes (1994): they just don’t get the kind of coverage the latest Ryan Reynolds or Reese Witherspoon blockbuster will, even though they’re likely made by folks with more love, affection, and respect for the entire filmmaking process.  Because B-Movies are conceived, shot, and passed around by the medium’s most ardent fans, these films usually have something special worth a notice … and, yes, I get jazzed by trying to find out what that is.
 
Besides, if ten billion bloggers and vloggers have already told you why 2023’s Barbie deserved your attention, then wouldn’t you rather have little ol’ me pointing you toward equally interesting distractions?
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
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From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Two ‘Men in Black’ wannabees (who are not wearing black) are on the look-out for ridding the planet of supernatural beings.  After saving a crooked businessman in a warehouse, they are surprised by three pretty girls and a leather-jacketed boyfriend who are searching for a party.  Evidently, they have unwittingly unleashed a kind of portal, endangering us all.  Our heroes spend the night trying to survive, as one of the three women has been targeted as a ‘breeder.’  She has apparently been chosen for being pretty tough – after all, she does the equivalent of shrugging her shoulders after witnessing her businessman father getting horribly decapitated just inches away.”
 
Erm …
 
Well, let’s get a few points out of the way right up front.
 
As a B-Movie, Vampires And Other Stereotypes has a bit more story than I honestly expected it to have.  That may not mean much to some, but I was pleasantly surprised with how deeply writer/director Kevin J. Lindenmuth tried to build this unique vision.  While his characters are all a bit two-dimensional, he still tried to give this subset to civilization a measure of uniqueness.  It may not have been all that original; but effort expended deserves the applause.  So … clap clap.
 
Where it’s hard to keep clapping is the fact that (A) far too much of what transpires does so entirely because that’s how it was written, and (B) the script kinda/sorta boasts a 1950’s mentality as it comes to social mores and the like.  Now, that would function adequately if all of this was intended as a narrative send-up to the way simpler times meant crafting simpler stories; but that doesn’t appear to be the case.  Vampires has some occasional humor – it boasts a rather funny sequence involving some bickering heads and faces of demons breaking through a concrete wall, and they spend their screen time arguing like spoiled children – and, yet, such folly would seem to be the exception rather than the norm to the flick’s tone.  I’m all for lampooning the lunacy of bygone days, but Vampires never finds that consistency and sticks with it.
 
In typical B-Movie fashion, we are delivered a wry and sardonic hero/antihero – two, actually – and Harry (Ed Hubbard) and Ivan (Bill White) rather capably host this journey beyond the Gates of Hell even though not everything that develops makes perfect sense.  (It is Hell, after all, so maybe that’s what Lindenmuth intended.)  In fact, I’ll admit to not even being entirely certain as to the why and how of this particular portal’s rules were handled: some instances play more as though they were made up in camera (or on the set) as opposed to being graphically plotted out in pre-production, so don’t look for all of this to add up seamlessly in the final reel.
 
Still, I am a fan of old school effects works – largely meaning things that can be accomplished both in camera and on-the-spot – and, in that respect, Vampires features a lovely assortment of make-up and creature prosthetics.  Those wall-mounted talking heads are some fabulous artistries, in fact, so much so that I wish the script had spent vastly more time with them; and there are some great masks used in the second half that should be the stuff of small legends within the realm of B-Movie fans.  They look great, and they allow for even modest characterizations obviously supplied by talented actors … so kudos to all involved in bringing some of these wacky creations so vividly to life.
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I’ve read that this project was Lindemuth’s first in a reasonably storied career of like-minded fare, so it’s easy to chalk up some of the weaknesses inherent with such inexperience.  The curse of a half-baked script will always rear its head at some point, and therein lies Vampires’ greatest obstacle: how can even a winning ensemble overcome stories that could’ve benefited from one more draft if even that meant contracting a screenwriter for a second opinion?  The good ideas end up being shackled by the weight of unnecessary baggage, and the resulting inertia pulled parts of this one through that open gate with relative ease.  While it had parts I liked, it also had parts I loathed … and those two halves will never come together in any satisfying whole.
 
Vampires And Other Stereotypes (1994) was produced by Brimstone Productions.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by the fine folks at Visual Vengeance.  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I can still spot some sub-par production work here and there; and there’s a great deal of sub-par production work spread across this low-budget effort.  As B-Movies go, it isn’t awful; but it still deserves a mention.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  Well, holy mother of dragons, you’ll have plenty to get excited about as the disc boasts an astonishing three different commentary tracks, a plethora of cast and crew interviews, a good deal of related featurettes, some early Super 8 films from director Lindenmuth, and even a bit more.  Wow.  Visual Vengeance has spared no expense of giving fans the red-carpet treatment, so kudos to all involved.
 
Alas, only … Mildly recommended.
 
Vampires And Other Stereotypes (1994) requires a bit of patience even for those who traffic often in the realm of lesser features.  It doesn’t always make sense, and the fact that it kinda/sorta vacillates between meaningful Horror and schlock lunacy had me questioning just what all of it really was about, what it ultimately meant to say about its people, places, and things.  I realize that its entertainment value might be enough for others, but – as I said – I do still gravitate toward productions that resonate as opposed to cheaply entertain.  Still, I can appreciate some fabulous production work here and there, so I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more Lindenmuth in my diet.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Visual Vengeance and Wild Eye Releasing provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Vampires And Other Stereotypes (1994) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ
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(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or character.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Boris Karloff hosts a trio of horror stories concerning a stalked call girl, a vampire-like monster who preys on his family, and a nurse who is haunted by her ring’s rightful owner.”
 
From what I’ve read, 1963’s Black Sabbath – an anthology picture of three Horror stories all adapted (in part) and directed by famed Italian director Mario Bava – was a project rushed into production and distribution somewhat on the heels of the theatrical success for his 1960 similarly-named Black Sunday.  I’ve also read that there exist two very different edits of the film with the Italian version being allegedly a bit brighter and accommodating of sexual mores while the U.S. incarnation kinda/sorta dials down some of this narrative extravagance as well as re-orders the order of the separate stories.  (For clarity’s sake, I’m reviewing the American International Pictures’ version.)  And, lastly, yes, I’m also aware that the film is cited as serving as the inspiration behind the rock group Black Sabbath choosing their name (a curious development, indeed, for anyone who wants to Google it), so let’s just agree initially that the flick has a much-deserved reputation.
 
Because this is an anthology film, I’m going to adjust my format, allowing for both a plot summary and some individual observations on each chapter.  I think this is the only way to do justice to the production, giving equal time to stories that only overlap tangentially.
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The Drop Of Water
According to Wikipedia.org, here’s the plot summary:
“… is centered on Helen Corey, a nurse who steals a ring from a corpse that is being prepared for burial and finds herself haunted by the ring’s original owner after arriving home.”
 
Without getting into all of the particulars, the American edit of Black Sabbath really hits it out of the park with this first chapter.  In fact, it’s so good – expressive performances, fantastic cinematography, downright elegant production details – that I’d argue it should’ve been the anthology’s final chapter.  After all, why not go out ‘big’ with the best you’ve got?
 
Much like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-tale Heart,’ the narrative weight of Water rests entirely on the oppressiveness of sights and sounds truly terrifying our lead – a common nurse with a penchant for thievery – and Bava’s magic in this arc should have him standing side-by-side with any other Horror director in film history.  That might seem hyperbolic to some, but Water works entirely because its director knew precisely what was needed in every detail and managed to deliver just those elements to those watching closely.  From the glint off a jewel in a ring to the heavy plunk-plunk-plunk of dripping water, this short is crafted with epic details; and it could easily be celebrated alongside any award-winning ghost story I’ve ever seen.
 
Jacqueline Pierreux – as the nurse – earns high praise for the deftness with which she walks effortlessly through each scene, up until the point wherein The Other Side of Reality extracts its vengeance on a woman who would steal from the dead.  Milly – one of Italy’s most revered singers – equally handles her responsibilities as the dutiful maid (to the deceased) who really wants nothing more than to finish up her last day of work and get as far away from the gawking corpse as is humanly possible.
 
It's a fabulous affair, and it’s arguably this Sabbath’s best.
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The Telephone
According to Wikipedia.org, here’s the plot summary:
“… involves Rosy who continually receives threatening telephone calls from an unseen stalker.”
 
For all intents and purposes, I thought that The Telephone both sounded and worked a bit too conventionally as Horror story.  While its performances are good and there are some nice supernatural touches that comes to life in its somewhat forced conclusion, this is a story that’s been done – to one degree or another – several times before both on the silver screen, in television, and even in book or story format.  As a consequence, it really only has the work of its players – namely Michéle Mercier and Lidia Alfonsi as dualling sources of affection – to give it the necessary ‘umph,’ and I thought they were both a bit light.
 
As Rosy, Mercier has vastly more screen time to both become her character and entice viewers into this story of a voice from the beyond haunting the present day.  She capably hits her marks, but I didn’t think that there was enough substance to the issue of precisely why she was being haunted.  Her increasing mania – resulting from both the repeated phone calls and the oppressive sense of claustrophobia – works well enough, but the elusive nature of her former lover’s axe to grind – as well as his reasons for using the telephone when it’s shown that he can choose human form as well as ghostly writing – held this one back from resonating beyond the grave as I think Bava intended.
 
While the anthology format wasn’t exactly brand new to storytelling in 1963, one wonders why Bava didn’t try to give this installment some greater freshness.  Was our male aggressor truly ‘a spectral killer?’  If so, then why couldn’t he be everywhere he needed to be to haunt the lady authentically?  Some of his talents suggest that is the case; but we see – in the all-too-brief finale – that he can be stabbed with a kitchen knife, so there are signs otherwise.
 
A bit of a misfire, if you ask me.
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The Wurdalak
According to Wikipedia.org, here’s the plot summary:
“… where a man named Gorca returns to his family after claiming to have slain a Wurdulak, an undead creature who attacks those that it had once loved.”
 
Undoubtedly, the inclusion of Horror legend Boris Karloff – both as this anthology’s narrator as well as having him play the famed Wurdulak of this story – was meant to capitalize on the actor’s reputation with Western audiences.  And, frankly, he’s probably the best thing in this installment – so far as this viewer is concerned – as the story is a largely predictable one involving a vampire who apparently only feeds on friends and family.  While I’m not sure technically how such a diet could last throughout the ages – once you’ve fed and turned all in your bloodline, what else is there to eat? – but perhaps I’m just reading too much into the whole bloody affair.
 
But, yes, Karloff is very good here, vastly more committed and hugely successful in conveying his menace with little more than a look and a smile.  He rather creepily commands one scene after another, leaving the remaining actors and actresses with little more to do than fill out the story – and their respective descents into vampirehood – in melodramatic if not obligatory fashion.  While a twist would’ve been nice, I suspect Bava stuck as close to the source material as possible; and that just didn’t leave room for any further surprises in this mix of family dynamics.
 
I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that – perhaps more than the previous chapters – Wurdulak also benefits from the technical wizardry of its craftsmen and women along with Bava’s accomplished direction.  The piece both looks and feels exquisite, taking the audience on a tour through one decidedly Gothic location to the next.  While I thought that the yarn lost a bit of steam in its final moments – the seduction of our hero really became more inevitably than it was predictable – I think it’s still safe to say that Wurdulak demonstrates capably a good deal of what Italian producers could achieve on screen in this time and place; and it’s deserving of a look if for no other reason than that.

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​Black Sabbath (1963) was produced by Emmepi Cinematografica, Societé Cinématographique Lyre, Galatea Film, American International Pictures (AIP), and Alta Vista Productions.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Kino Lorber.  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights and sounds to his release were exceptionally impressive; why, it ought to be a crime for a flick this dated to look this grand!  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  The disc boasts the theatrical trailer along with a commentary from novelist and critic Tim Lucas.
 
Recommended, but …
 
Take note, readers: I think – and I could be wrong – that Black Sabbath is the kind of film that (A) appeals most to Bava purists; (B) interests fans of Italian and Giallo cinema; and (C) warrants a view for those chiefly interested in technical accomplishments.  While its stories are exquisitely rendered, they’re also understandably brief as they’re pieces of a broader construct.  I’m surprised I didn’t enjoy this one a bit more than I did – especially given Bava’s involvement and the fact that I’m fond of anthologies – but my last word on it is that I struggled with its ‘good, better, and best’ delivery.  Sometimes, that’s just the way the ball bounces.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Black Sabbath (1963) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ
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Well, well, well ... good morning and Happy Tuesday, gentle readers!

Will you look at that?  Great mother of dragons!  If I'm reading that correctly -- and, yes, I've double-checked it (though I do have to do a bit of tinkering to get the proper headers in place) -- then you've got just over 100 different genre trivia citations to entertain yourselves with this morning!

Seriously I ask: could there be a better time to be a fan of SciFiHistory.Net?

I, for one, don't think so; and I'm thrilled that all of you have chosen to share this ride with me.  Welcome aboard, and -- certainly -- enjoy the day.  There's plenty of reason to celebrate.

I did spend the good portion of yesterday afternoon trying to get myself somewhat caught up with practical media that's been sent to me as of late.  I watched three flicks -- one of which I just reviewed this morning, 1963's Black Sabbath (found right here) -- and I'm working up my thoughts presently.  I might get another review (maybe two) up today.  It just really depends on the inspiration.  I do like to have something special to say about every film that I experience; but I'll admit one of the remaining choices is kinda/sorta pushing me to my limits.  It's an obvious low-budget flick ... and, sigh, it just isn't all that coherent in spots.  Sometimes this happens, and I've got to work overtime to give it some reflection.

Such is life, I guess ...
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Also, my internet connection has been more than a bit wonky today.  Things aren't exactly showing up the way they're designed on screen, and I don't seem to be getting good signals.  So I'll likely take a break from it in a few minutes, if for no other reason than to do a full reboot as well as a reset of the house modem to see if that fixes the inadequacies.  Let's hope so.

But, otherwise, here's the real reason you're here this morning ...
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As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!

​-- EZ
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Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to the start of an all-new week of excellence!

(That's right.  You heard me.  It's gonna be an excellent week!)

While I'm certainly hoping everyone had a weekend for the history books, it's now time to buckle back down to the business of making ends meet ends.  A new week will understandably bring new challenges and new opportunities, so I do expect each and every one of my readers to pick himself (or herself) up by the bootstraps and embrace whatever life throws at you in the seconds, minutes, hours, and days ahead.  Don't worry: you've got this ... just like you did last week.

Ahhhh ... what do I have to report this morning?

Well, not a whole heckuva lot.  As I mentioned last week, the weekend was a bit of a flurry for our household.  I had some volunteer stuff to attend to, as did the wifey, but we did manage to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  (Awww ... thank you!  Thank you!)  On Friday, we went up and out to a wonderful arts festival in Fountain Hills, and I even strayed outside of my comfort zome and picked up this wonderfully iconic Star Wars flannel-style shirt.  I'll put up a link -- perhaps tomorrow -- for a few of the booths I visited, as I do try to be a big supporter of folks who both stray outside their comfort zones as well as try to make a living entirely off of their talents.  In that vein, this craft show didn't exactly have as much to offer as it did last year, but I do so love walking and admiring what some folks can do with their own two hands.  It's inspiring, to say the least.

Still, I did manage to squeeze in a viewing last night: Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Running Man -- in 4K glory -- came to Amazon.com's Prime Video, and I couldn't pass it up.  It's a film I've always personally felt was flawed in construction but tried so very hard to say something about the world we live in.  Because it's a feature I've always wanted to say something about -- mostly because I disagree with so many fans who think it's a genius production -- I finally sat down this morning and sketched out my central premise.  Fans who wish to know more can check out my review right here, and I do encourage it because it's one of those rare occasions where I ventured into creative territory, telling you actually what I would've done to make it even more special than it is.  I do hope you read it and even sound off on my suggestions.

Naturally, there's more to celebrate in All Things Genre today, but I'll leave those discoveries to each of you.  Interested parties?  Well, you can find this mountain of goodness right here ...
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Lastly -- as always -- thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing (that's always a plus 'round these parts) ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!

​-- EZ
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(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“In a dystopian America, a falsely convicted policeman gets his shot at freedom when he must forcibly participate in a TV game show where convicts, runners, must battle killers for their freedom.”
 
I don’t often do this, but I’m going to make a rare exception: though many of you might disagree, I’m going to tell you how – if I could go back in time and have been put in charge of bringing 1987’s The Running Man to bold theatrical life – I would make the feature into something special.
 
Okay, okay, okay: calm down.
 
I know that a good number of regular readers to SciFiHistory.Net quite probably both love and worship this Paul Michael Glaser-directed production.  It was reasonably popular back in the day, serving as one of the films that definitely cemented Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reputation in the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  (In fact, I’ve read that a good number of fans think it his best performance, but I won’t even go there.)  Screenwriter Steven E. de Souza adapted the Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King novel) for the big screen, so its pedigree is solid.  But I think my issues with it could very easily have been corrected with a slightly different edit, and the resulting story could very well have elevated the effort even further in the minds of those who worship All Things Genre as much as I do.  So, yes, I think the current incarnation is a bit … well … goofy … and, yet, it still has some of ‘the right stuff’ required to turn out grand.
 
So … why don’t I do this?  Let me explain as briefly as possible what I dislike about the film – that is my purview, after all, as a critic – and you can either agree or disagree.  Then after I get that out of the way, I’ll tell you what changes I’d make in order to deliver an edit that would’ve given audiences something to think about.
 
It isn’t uncommon for a feature’s footage to get re-used creatively, and that is my biggest bugaboo about Running.  The film’s opening sequence presents the audience with a backstory; and in it our hero Ben Richards (played by Schwarzenegger) – as an aerial police officer – is shown both defying orders to fire on defenseless rioters and resisting the arrest put forth on him by his fellow guardians of the peace.  Later in the story, viewers are presented a second draft of this exact same footage, but – this time – it’s been cleverly edited to give the appearance that Richards’ act of defiance was firing on the helpless crowd; necessarily, his resisting arrest is now depicted as his fellow workers trying to stop him from butchering untold dozens of men, women, and children.
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Succinctly, I hate when films employ the tactic of using footage specifically constructed as our theatrical presentation and then re-use the same obviously professionally shot scenes – with edits, music, and effects – as if it is now an entirely different perspective.  This was well before the day of police officers being supplied with body cams and the like, but – stick with me here, folks – wouldn’t it have been incredibly inventive if this police helicopter had some internal recording device, be it a camera and/or audio?  Then this footage could’ve been used at this point instead of re-using exactly what the audience already saw!  That way, there could be a freshness to the presentation, instead of such an obvious storytelling trick.
 
Or … let me take this idea one step further because, quite frankly, Running Man employs a bit of trickery in its second half that honestly already opened this door.  I’m quite surprised that no one involved in pre-production saw this idea and leapt at it.
 
Late in the film, the audience is let in on the fact that gameshow host Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) and his production company executives aren’t above outright fabricating reality for the sake of its entertainment value.  To that end, The Running Man airs footage of last season’s alleged winners, all of them presumably living it up in paradise.  While we later learn that these tiny moments have been manufactured digitally, we really get a view behind the curtain once Killian and his co-conspirators begin creating scenes of Richards’ and Amber Mendez’s (Maria Conchita Alonso) demise at the hands of Captain Freedom (Jesse Ventura).  Because the script supposes that such technology exists, why didn’t they merely create said faux footage of Richards’ carrying out his campaign of death on the unsuspecting citizenry?  Wouldn’t that have swung open the door for even more vivid carnage?  Also, it could’ve given Richards an earlier indication that ‘something was afoot’ – it could’ve given him the chance to say a line like “that’s impossible as the helicopter had no in-flight recorder” or something – and such a development would’ve been a bit more organic.
 
Still … I have one more suggestion, and here’s where I think The Running Man could truly have been something special, almost on par with a good deal of what Paul Verhoeven achieved with Schwarzenegger a few years later with 1990’s Total Recall.  (Yes, yes, and yes: I do believe Total Recall is one of the highpoints in the actor’s whole career, but that’s an argument for another day and another time.)
 
Imagine that instead of opening up with this helicopter preamble with Richards and the other police defenders that the film merely opened with our hero’s prison escape.  The set-up in the aerial sequence is clearly intended to show that Arnold was our leading man, but suppose we went into all of this truly not knowing?  Imagine how the first half of the film could’ve played out if we didn’t know if Richards was a good man or a bad man?  Don’t misunderstand me: yes, Richard would ultimately be the hero of the film, but we wouldn’t know what really went down until vastly later in this story.  This nebulousness of his morality would’ve kept us watching much more closely at the signs along the way; and it could’ve mirrored those sentiments of “is this real or is this a memory implant” that fueled the wild ride that was to become Total Recall.  This rather simple edit could’ve allowed director Glaser to use the already shot helicopter footage later in the film; and it could also have kept Mendez’s suspicions as to what was really on the ‘unedited footage’ chip she steals from the television studio.
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If you haven’t noticed, I kinda/sorta get jazzed more by stories that are cerebral instead of visual circuses.  I don’t mind all of the colorful splash and bloody killings, but I think the entire affair is enhanced when we – as viewers – are tasked with material that challenges our perspective.  Am I watching a good man, or am I watching a man who did something bad and is now trying to find whatever redemption is available in this tarnished future?  This minor change could’ve given Running Man some greater intellectual stuffing; and I think audiences might even have enjoyed it.
 
As it is, Running Man feels as if it was too deliberately crafted to be an Arnold epic.  The one-liners are, frankly, a bit atrocious; and such verbal chicanery often cheapens what could’ve been a stronger moment.  Glaser should’ve let his strongman be a bit quieter – hell, the script even gives Arnold the chance to repeat the line he made famous a few years earlier in The Terminator (1984) so there’s no doubt all of these quips were intended – and I’d argue that the result would’ve been admired by more than just the same audiences ultimately lampooned within the satire.  Was that the intended point?  To make the viewers feel guilty as they’re little more than those shown on screen?  I’m never a big fan of being insulted by any production, so color me offended, if you must.
 
Though my complaints don’t stop here, I’m perfectly comfortable leaving this as is.  To me, The Running Man will always be that flick that truly missed an opportunity to be greater than the sum of its parts (and its central message), and it could very easily have been positioned as one of the smartest and savviest in all of the former governor of California’s professional career.  Instead, it took the easy way out, giving the lion’s share of the attention to the narrative gimmick of having a good man running for his life.  Yeah, that’s clever, but – as I said – it’s still a McGuffin … and McGuffin only work and last for so long.  A smarter story – along with smarter characters – could’ve made this one for the ages.
 
The Running Man (1987) was produced by TAFT Entertainment Pictures, Keith Barish Productions, Home Box Office, and Braveworld Productions.  According to a quick Google.com search, the feature is (presently) available for rental or for purchase on such platforms as Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, and Amazon.com.  (FYI: I watched it on Prime Video, in fact.)  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds to what the platform advertised as a 4K restoration were astoundingly grand.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no special features to consider.
 
Recommended.
 
It isn’t as if I don’t enjoy The Running Man (1987) because it has its charms, albeit few.  My take on the film is that it didn’t quite go far enough – its satiric notes ring true but could’ve been expanded in so, so, so many ways – and instead invests in too much of what had become the usual Schwarzenegger spectacle of offing villains in wildly spectacular fashion following by a cutting, tongue-in-cheek pun.  In fact, I could make a case that the picture could’ve been strengthened by not having the Muscles from Brussels in it entirely, giving some other leading man from the day a chance in the limelight.

​-- EZ
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Good morning, gentle readers ... and welcome to ... FRIDAY!  (cue celebratory music)

Well, well, well ... we made it yet again to Friday.  Doesn't that feel great?  Doesn't that just feel damn exceptional?  I know, I know, I know.  It's early, and the lot of you don't want to get all that excited about it just yet.  You'd rather wait until this afternoon when the cold harsh reality sets in that the work week is over.  I hear you.  And I salute you.  Thank you for continuing in the fight.  You're all heroes, each and every damn one of you.

But ... I've not a lot to report today.  I didn't get to any screenings and/or general whatnot yesterday as I had a bit of personal business to take care of.  Also, I had my volunteer work in the afternoon, so there's that.  I'm hoping to get some films watched over the weekend, but I'm also tied up with some volunteer stuff on Saturday, so it's honestly going to be a bit tough this time around.  If I can, then I'll get something up on the MainPage -- even if it's just one of these daily announcements -- but look for some very slim pickings over the next two days.  Sorry, peeps: that's just the way the Death Star explodes, if you catch my meaning.

Also, I'm off today with the wifey as we're celebrating a wedding anniversary.  (Actually, it's tomorrow, but we're both busy with stuff tomorrow, so we're entertaining ourselves today.)  

So ... in that respect, I'm going to leave you to yourselves and, of course, today.  There are some interesting trivial nuggets on the page; and I do have a few extras I'm trying to get up in that space before I get out the door.  Keep checking back, you know, as I'm always (ALWAYS) updating individual pages when I obtain new information, additional requests, and/or research discoveries.  SciFiHistory.Net is always growing, and I'm glad that you're glad to have found this special place that celebrates All Things Genre.

Here's the link ...
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As always, thanks for reading ... thanks even more for sharing ... thanks even more for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!

​-- EZ
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Once again, folks, welcome to the end of life as we know it!
 
The realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy includes a unique subset of films that has been exciting viewers for well over a century: the Apocalypse – the collapse of civilization from war, drought, famine, virus, zombies, alien invasion, climate change, meteor strike, or even general collective apathy – explores what remains after said life-changing-event.  Storytellers have been fascinated with such days all the way back until 1916’s The End Of The World, a Danish production from director August Blom that depicted the global catastrophes resulting from a comet passing too closely near our planet.  I think it’s safe to suggest that, while horrified by the fate possibly awaiting us all, we – as viewers – still can’t look away.
 
Because the end could – quite literally – arrive at any moment, filmmakers have worked hard to introduce as many narrative variations as possible on the original idea.  In their zeal, they’ve respectfully tried to present countless Armageddons with the cinematic freshness discriminating audiences truly appreciate, occasionally even going back to Hollywood well in search of a story done earlier and elsewhere that might benefit from the whole new level of Apocalyptic flavoring.  After all, if there are only seven scripts in existence, can’t each of them become Science Fiction with the welcome addition of mutants, celestial calamities, and laser guns?
 
Today’s evidence that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is 1991’s Neon City.  This Fantasy-fueled road trip picks up where John Ford’s 1939 Oscar-winning Western Classic – Stagecoach – left off, teleporting viewers from the days of the Wild West into the future where cowboys and lawmen of a different sort brave this new Final Frontier in search of nothing more than the chance to survive.  Brought to the screen by actor, producer, and director Monte Markham, Neon City is credited to screenwriters Buck Finch and Jeff Begun – along with contributions credited to Markham, too – and it stars Michael Ironside, Vanity, Lyle Alzado, Valerie Wildman, and Juliet Landau in key roles.
 
Saddle up, readers.  Doom is on the horizon, and the road ahead won’t be easy.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
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From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“’Mad Max’ clone set in the not-too-distant future about a group of people trying to escape to a safe haven called Neon City after a solar disaster has decimated the Earth.”
 
If there is an Apocalypse waiting at the end of days, count me amongst the contingent voting for big and small screen tough guy Michael Ironside to lead us to the big finish.  Throughout the 1980’s and into the 1990’s, the actor either headlined or was in the cast for a good number of gritty thrillers – SciFi and beyond – and he even stood toe-to-toe opposite Hollywood heavyweight Arnold Schwarzenegger in Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall (1990).  While Ironside might’ve lacked the charisma to outshine fellow screen talent like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, or Chuck Norris, he clearly had his own following – fans loyal to him despite the fact that he was often cast as the villain – and they definitely wished that one truly big breakout role would propel the man to some much-deserved stardom.  Though he had the right stuff, household recognition remained just out of reach.
 
But in much the same way legends endure, Ironside continued in the business; and his appearances continued to energize both viewers knowledgeable of his resume as well as newcomers only discovering what the man brought to his work.  His IMDB.com profile today shows a resume fast approaching an astonishing three hundred different professional credits, so there’s ample opportunity for those wishing to delve into his portfolio to find something they like.  (Might I suggest a visit back to Science Fiction of the 1980’s when he brought a rugged Han Solo type to the small screen aboard NBC’s original V?  He was a winning addition to that ensemble.)
 
While I’d read about Neon City, I’d never seen it; and that’s been rectified today as Kino Lorber has released an all-new 2K scan of the production for consumption.  It looks and sounds incredible for a mostly forgotten and/or overlooked smaller transport into the days of a dark tomorrow, but Ironside’s lead demonstrates why so many fans were drawn to his ability to kick ass and chew bubble gum at a time when bubble gum had gone the way of the dodo.
 
Sadly, the Markham production never quite found the right gear to propel this one into the pantheon of ‘must see’ Science Fiction and Fantasy apocalypses.  It’s good enough for what I’ve often called Saturday Night fare – the kind of forgettable flicks that used to be the mainstay of the SciFi (aka Syfy) Channel or any number of lesser pay cable channels – but the cast of supporting players who never had the kind of shelf life required to give it the necessary recognition did this film no favors.  Markham himself – a somewhat familiar face in TV fare – appears briefly; and WKRP’s Richard Sanders (faux newsman ‘Les Nessman’) is also along for the ride as a comedian eeking out a feeble existence in a mostly laughless tomorrow.  Football player turned actor Lyle Alzado appeared as ‘Bulk,’ a kinda/sorta adversary kinda/sorta sidekick to Ironside’s darkly named ‘Harry M. Stark,’ and I’d also note that the picture is credited as Alzado’s last: the NFL legend passed from brain cancer barely a year later, a consequence of steroid abuse.
 
If there’s any great inspiration aboard Neon City, then I’d argue that was whoever’s idea it was to essentially copy the highs and lows of Stagecoach … because that’s what services here as the real story.  Consider Stark and the passengers as settlers on the road to a better and brighter tomorrow – one wherein all of their troubles are truly left behind in the dust of the wasteland they’re trying to cross – and the film both works efficiently and achieves the desired results.  Anything greater?  Well, that would’ve cost more; and this was truly a no-frills expedition.
 
Frankly, City feels very much like what may’ve started out on the drawing board as a telefilm, perhaps even the pilot for a weekly series.  (I’ve done some reading online, but I’ve found no confirmation of that possibility.)  The script breezes lightly over its cast of characters much in the way many shows from the era introduced supporting players with as little baggage possible; and then it goes about the business of testing whether or not each of them has the meddle to survive in the harsh future.  (FYI: not everyone gets out of this one alive, and some of that is owed to the subplot of a – gasp! – murderer on board!)  Who knows?  Could a regular procedural featuring Stark and crew crossing a deadly border have worked in serialized format?  It certainly could’ve featured monsters of the week – as well as told any number of stories about folks hell bent on the return to normalcy Neon City promised – but, alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
 
As a wholly independent feature, City operates on its own internal combustion, mostly giving Ironside the chance to grin occasionally in between sequences of his trading blows and firing weapons.  If it truly was the Apocalypse, then one would think the survivors would want to go easy on wasting so much ammunition – they do finally run out thanks for to a convenient plot twist than anything else – but perhaps brain power will ultimately be in short supply in our last days.  Model and singer Vanity is along for the ride as a kinda/sorta fugitive from justice who is both captured and released by the disgraced lawman Stark; but the later half sees her essentially reduced to a love interest that feels a bit forced when a smarter script could’ve handled it with greater nuance.
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Though I enjoyed the setting and the all-too-obvious inspiration of the John Ford film, City just never musters enough momentum to make it more than a one-time viewing affair.  It only occasionally tries to go full-blown Mad Max, but Markham’s staging is decidedly uninspired, and the stunt work is unimpressive.  The always impressive Juliet Landau (be still my heart!) turns in a convincing performance as the daughter of privilege just needing a ride home to her wealthy daddy; and Valerie Wildman also scores points as Stark’s former wife looking to start over once she arrives at their celebrated destination.  Fate has other designs on the lady, and – you guessed it – that inevitably brings out the worst when her ex-husband extracts a heavy price on the nefarious murderer.
 
So … would’ve I have been in the audience turning in weekly to watch Ironside do his thing had this thing somehow ended up in broadcast rotation?
 
You’re damn right I would’ve.
 
It would’ve been my goddamn pleasure.
 
Neon City (1991) was produced by Kodiak Films, Little Bear Productions, and Trimark Pictures.  DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Kino Lorber.  As for the technical specifications?  While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds of what’s advertised to be a brand-new HD Master from a 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive to be exceptionally good; the film looks crisp – so much so that one might think it was produced today – and the audio is equally impressive.  Lastly, if you’re looking for special features?  This disc boasts an audio commentary from director Markham, an all-too-brief interview with Ironside, and the theatrical trailer.  It’s a good collection, but – as always – I’d always welcome a bit more.
 
(Mildly) Recommended.
 
Though I’m known to appreciate a good Apocalypse, I still found it hard to fawn over Neon City.  Yes, it’s occasionally interesting, technically adequate, and features the great Michael Ironside during his screen-chewing prime; but the story – a narrative imitation of 1939’s Stagecoach updated to end times – fails to fully define this world, its people, and their individual and shared circumstances.  Without that measure of depth, Markham’s feature just feels too much like a forgettable road trip; and I think true SciFi and Fantasy audiences want a bit more to chew on with their cinematic snacks.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Neon City (1991) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ
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Mankind is forever wrapped up in a race to survive.
 
We’re forever wrapped in a struggle to survive the elements.  Survive the day.  Survive a job.  Survive a marriage.  Survive the weekend.  You get where this is going.  Several good film stories have captured that great race to live to see another day, but rarely does one come along with as much obvious allegory as 2013’s The Human Race.
 
Made on a budget and with very few (if any) familiar faces, it’s one more trip into The Twilight Zone where the ordinary man finds himself trapped by extraordinary circumstances which require his undivided attention … or the price of failure might very well be his head.
 
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment.  If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
 
From the product packaging:
“Eighty strangers from all walks of life are ripped out of their daily lives and forced to participate in a brutal race to the death.  The rules are simple; follow the arrows or you will die, step on the grass and you will die, get lapped twice and you will die.  Only one participant will survive.  Race or die.  There can be only one winner, but who will survive and for what purpose?”
 
Essentially, what you have with an inspired bit of storytelling that takes the shape of The Human is a modern-day episode of The Twilight Zone or another installment of The Outer Limits.  (FYI: A good one, at that.)  While the provided studio synopsis implies that these people are all strangers, that’s not entirely accurate: a few small groups are pulled out of reality together for this most extreme competition ever, and I suspect that’s a requirement in order to give this tale the kind of emotional grounding required of its early scenes.
 
However, the narrative as constructed by writer/director Paul Hough leaves a bit to be desired.
 
It’s a bare bones affair from start-to-finish, and this means that not a lot of time, effort, and money went into pre-production and the eventual crafting of it for the silver screen.  Right off the bat, I thought that I’d somehow picked up a foreign film (the opening narration might be French with English subtitles), so a qualifier could’ve been inserted to give audiences a proper time and place.  I say categorically that there’s nothing wrong with foreign films, people – in fact, I watch quite a few of them each week in my bid to be a widely read internet media critic – but the provided set-up didn’t need to be given in non-English especially as the rest of the ride is in that language.  As a consequence, some folks might not survive the opening sequence, turning it off as they conclude it was intended for a different audience.  (Yes, yes, and yes: we’ll call them ‘knuckleheads.’)
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Picture
Also, it takes a bit of time to fully comprehend what’s transpiring in the film.  Yes, there is the narrative set-up, on that repeats itself a few times within the first twenty minutes (definitely a plus).  But – once more – audiences are introduced to a character who appears to perhaps be the motion picture’s leading woman, and – dare I spoil? – she doesn’t survive the opening engagement.  This shocking development might also unnerve the audience or cause some viewers to pull away from the picture.  Frankly, I usually recommend avoiding such blatantly shocking trickery unless your intent is little more than to confuse the butts sitting in their seats.  It’s a calculated risk, and I’ll leave it to each of you to decide if it was worth the expense.
 
Once it becomes clear precisely what is going on here – a city-spanning game of survival – then it’s easy to relax and enjoy the ride.  Hough’s script provides plenty of characters worth watching in here, and he necessarily keeps the emphasis on the rising tension between those who wish to understand this event versus those who simply want to survive it.  Needless to say (because of the type of picture), not everyone does survive, but if you want to know what is finally truly going on you must hang with this all the way to the very last frame.  What you learn may not be entirely original … but I thought it was definitely worth the trip.
 
Lastly, I’d be remiss in my duties as reviewer if I failed to point out that Race won ‘Best Feature Film’ at the 2013 Dragon*Con Short Film Festival.  Also, actress Trista Robinson won the ‘Best Female Performance’ from the 2013 A Night of Horror International Film Festival.  (FYI: Robinson’s work is pretty terrific.)  The film has racked up an impressive list of other accolades that you can find at IMDB.com if you’re interested.  Bravo, indeed!
 
The Human Race (2013) was produced by Paul Hough Entertainment.  DVD distribution was coordinated by the fine folks at XLRator Media.  As for the technical specifications?  This tight little indie has some very interesting cinematography but I’ll admit that the audio track could’ve used a better mix through a couple of sequences.  (FYI: it isn’t anything all that distracting; it’s just that it isn’t very inspired, either.)  If it’s special features you want, then you have a director and cast commentary to look forward to as well as some deleted scenes (nothing special) and the theatrical trailer.  A good collection!
 
Recommended.
 
Look, I’m not even going to try to convince you that The Human Race (2013) is your kind of film if you’ve seen the trailer, viewed the box art, stumbled across it in a streaming platform queue, or happened across it on the shelves of your corner video store (assuming one of those still exists where you are).  Methinks those folks are truly inspired by B-movies will know a reasonable quality B-movie when they see it, and this Race certainly fits that bill.  In fact, some of its camera work might be considered too  artsy for the average B-movie fan … but that’s exactly the kind of visual surprise I like when I’m looking for one.
 
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at XLRator Media provided me with a DVD copy of The Human Race (2013) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.  Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.

​-- EZ

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