- Published on
Even though 1991’s The Silence Of The Lambs remains one of the highest regarded Psychological/Thrillers of all time, I still don’t think it ever gets enough credit over its slow and deliberate examination of evil.
I say this as one who isn’t exactly that production’s biggest fans. (I love it, but it isn’t a film I worship.) Like any story, the beauty remains in the eyes of the beholders; and Silence – while sometimes criticized for reveling in excesses – still manages to craft some of the genre’s most compelling characters. Yes, Hannibal Lecter is indeed a sight to behold; but that Buffalo Bill is no slouch, either. Added to that mix (and almost always overlooked) is a nifty little bit of work by actor Anthony Heald: his Dr. Chilton goes to great lengths to manipulate Lecter (and, likely, all of his subjects) to maximize the rewards available on his own career path. There’s even more, but I’ll leave it at this because I firmly believe my point has been made: Silence pulls back as many layers as possible in order to assure audiences that evil exists in countless ways.
To it’s credit, 2024’s Dead Mail felt like a production that was drawn from the same narrative cloth. Written and directed by the team of Joe DeBoer and Kyle McGonaghy, it’s a vastly smaller and quieter experience, so much so that it may not ultimately get the level of exposure I think it deserves. Some of this is owed to the way in which the storytellers travel from the start to the big finish: there are no signature sequences that I think anyone could critically champion. What matters in its final reel is that evil might even – uncharacteristically so – willingly remove itself from the equation as a way to achieve the only lasting peace possible. That’s a surprisingly mature message when the film is stacked up against similar fare; and – dare I say? – many will find it anticlimactic.
Me?
Well, I’ll tell you what I think below.
(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:
“An ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.”
I say this as one who isn’t exactly that production’s biggest fans. (I love it, but it isn’t a film I worship.) Like any story, the beauty remains in the eyes of the beholders; and Silence – while sometimes criticized for reveling in excesses – still manages to craft some of the genre’s most compelling characters. Yes, Hannibal Lecter is indeed a sight to behold; but that Buffalo Bill is no slouch, either. Added to that mix (and almost always overlooked) is a nifty little bit of work by actor Anthony Heald: his Dr. Chilton goes to great lengths to manipulate Lecter (and, likely, all of his subjects) to maximize the rewards available on his own career path. There’s even more, but I’ll leave it at this because I firmly believe my point has been made: Silence pulls back as many layers as possible in order to assure audiences that evil exists in countless ways.
To it’s credit, 2024’s Dead Mail felt like a production that was drawn from the same narrative cloth. Written and directed by the team of Joe DeBoer and Kyle McGonaghy, it’s a vastly smaller and quieter experience, so much so that it may not ultimately get the level of exposure I think it deserves. Some of this is owed to the way in which the storytellers travel from the start to the big finish: there are no signature sequences that I think anyone could critically champion. What matters in its final reel is that evil might even – uncharacteristically so – willingly remove itself from the equation as a way to achieve the only lasting peace possible. That’s a surprisingly mature message when the film is stacked up against similar fare; and – dare I say? – many will find it anticlimactic.
Me?
Well, I’ll tell you what I think below.
(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:
“An ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.”
Character studies – especially those involving evil persons – are not easy to pull off effectively.
Chiefly, much of this is owed to the fact that far too many storytellers take the easy way out, preferring to use that old rule of “show, don’t tell.” One potentially fatal flaw surrounding this tactic is how can you tacitly display something that may’ve happened in the distant past while keeping a modern, contemporary tale moving forward? Too many shows resort to the endless series of flashbacks in order to convey a madman’s growing fissures; and – despite some great attempts – they risk confusing viewers by dragging them unnecessarily through multiple time periods when perhaps the oldest and simplest tactic would be just to let the villain speak. If he speaks loudly enough, clearly enough, and intelligently enough, then he can convey far more than an endless parade of images. He can very capably show us his own personal face of evil by using the right words and showing us some facial expressions. It’s called “acting,” and it is the definitive way to “show and tell.”
For me, this is why a performance like that of John Fleck works so well in Dead Mail.
Some of it is the way he delivers the lines of dialogue as scripted pretty brilliantly by DeBoer and McConaghy. Over the course of these 100+ minutes, he’s given small snippets that run the gamut of emotions, from joy to despair with a curious amount of angst cropping up in some delightful ways; and the actor really gives a masterclass performance in psychological restraint when tasked with some progressive emotional reveals. More of it, I think, is how he carries the weight of his character – the fictitious would-be serial killer Trent Whittington – as he moves between the various phases of this short existence, sometimes proud like a mother hen and other times as if the disciplinarian inside knows some of what he’s doing just ain’t kosher. There’s a great degree of nuance into making this gripping and believable – more often it gets overplayed – but Fleck – arguably not household commodity – should receive some praise for getting this one in the can.
Essentially, Dead Mail is more of an unconventional abduction story, one that probably owes a great deal of its effectiveness to being set in the past wherein cell phones and security cameras weren’t as commonplace as they are today.
Structurally, it kinda/sorta bobs and weaves a bit, shifting the focus from what you believe might be the central character – the and introspective postal do-gooder Jasper Lawrence who remains steadfastly committed to seeing lost mail delivered to the intended recipients – onto Whittington’s shoulders after a protracted set-up. Even once we’re introduced to this somber music aficionado, the tale shifts gears yet again as Trent goes from good to evil – not a long journey but a necessary one – leaving viewers to wonder whether or not this is something the lonely soul has done before. Of course, the mythmakers aren’t quite done yet as the last twenty-plus minutes take on yet even another viewpoint – the one that matters most for resolution’s sake – and I predict there will be some who might check out before the closing scenes. (Big mistake, if you ask me …)
Chiefly, much of this is owed to the fact that far too many storytellers take the easy way out, preferring to use that old rule of “show, don’t tell.” One potentially fatal flaw surrounding this tactic is how can you tacitly display something that may’ve happened in the distant past while keeping a modern, contemporary tale moving forward? Too many shows resort to the endless series of flashbacks in order to convey a madman’s growing fissures; and – despite some great attempts – they risk confusing viewers by dragging them unnecessarily through multiple time periods when perhaps the oldest and simplest tactic would be just to let the villain speak. If he speaks loudly enough, clearly enough, and intelligently enough, then he can convey far more than an endless parade of images. He can very capably show us his own personal face of evil by using the right words and showing us some facial expressions. It’s called “acting,” and it is the definitive way to “show and tell.”
For me, this is why a performance like that of John Fleck works so well in Dead Mail.
Some of it is the way he delivers the lines of dialogue as scripted pretty brilliantly by DeBoer and McConaghy. Over the course of these 100+ minutes, he’s given small snippets that run the gamut of emotions, from joy to despair with a curious amount of angst cropping up in some delightful ways; and the actor really gives a masterclass performance in psychological restraint when tasked with some progressive emotional reveals. More of it, I think, is how he carries the weight of his character – the fictitious would-be serial killer Trent Whittington – as he moves between the various phases of this short existence, sometimes proud like a mother hen and other times as if the disciplinarian inside knows some of what he’s doing just ain’t kosher. There’s a great degree of nuance into making this gripping and believable – more often it gets overplayed – but Fleck – arguably not household commodity – should receive some praise for getting this one in the can.
Essentially, Dead Mail is more of an unconventional abduction story, one that probably owes a great deal of its effectiveness to being set in the past wherein cell phones and security cameras weren’t as commonplace as they are today.
Structurally, it kinda/sorta bobs and weaves a bit, shifting the focus from what you believe might be the central character – the and introspective postal do-gooder Jasper Lawrence who remains steadfastly committed to seeing lost mail delivered to the intended recipients – onto Whittington’s shoulders after a protracted set-up. Even once we’re introduced to this somber music aficionado, the tale shifts gears yet again as Trent goes from good to evil – not a long journey but a necessary one – leaving viewers to wonder whether or not this is something the lonely soul has done before. Of course, the mythmakers aren’t quite done yet as the last twenty-plus minutes take on yet even another viewpoint – the one that matters most for resolution’s sake – and I predict there will be some who might check out before the closing scenes. (Big mistake, if you ask me …)
Aesthetically, DeBoer and McConaghy go to great lengths to give depth to these times and places, draping the look in a layer of grain and aural distortion (at times) to suggest not so much an idyllic, far-off possibility so much as it is a nightmare that could take place, why, in that quiet space your quirky neighbor lets you in to see. The days of the synthesizer have mostly come and gone; but the filmmakers use the instrument’s emergence as a construct showing that realness can be achieved only at great risk. Riches might await those who effectively reproduce a particular tone; and, yet, what we’re losing in such technological progress might be more than the gifts of musicians who play authentically. We might be risking our own immortal soul … and for what? A sound? Or is it a sound that stirs the soul? That’s a big question worth being asked, but the answer might be too big for words to convey.
Lastly, I feel required to encourage viewers to sit tight through the film’s end credits as there is a bit more to the story. Rather than witness the set-up for the next installment in the ever-growing Marvel Movie Universe (will that series never end?), you’re instead treated to the who, what, when, where, and why of these few characters so that you don’t leave the flick without knowing their true resolutions. Rest assured: I’ve read online that none of this is real – this is not a docudrama but instead an experience created to give that feel – but it’ll have you wondering otherwise. A fitting wrap-up to a winning portrait of madness.
Dead Mail (2024) was produced by Alarmist Entertainment, Contact Light Films, and Spooky Pictures. According to a quick Google.com search, the film will have its original release to the masses-at-large on Shudder effective April 18th, 2025. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I still found the provided sights-and-sounds quite exceptional. The directors use a bit of video trickery here and there to give it this grainy, dated appearance; and it works very well in crafted the atmosphere I think they wanted for the piece. Nice choice. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, I viewed the film via private access streaming; and there were no special features under consideration.
Highly Recommended.
In all honesty, Dead Mail (2024) requires a good degree of patience. It’s an exceedingly slow-burning Horror/Mystery that changes perspectives more than once; and I suspect casual viewers might give up on its goodness before the midpoint where Trent Whittington’s motivations are finally laid bare. (Mind you: methinks even that disclosure is subject to a bit of interpretation, but I refuse to spoil it.) Those willing to wait for answers should be pleased. Those unwilling? Well, there’s always something else to binge on Prime Video or Netflix … but good luck finding something this interesting, this character-centric, and this downright creepy.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Shudder provided me with complimentary streaming access to Dead Mail (2024) 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
Lastly, I feel required to encourage viewers to sit tight through the film’s end credits as there is a bit more to the story. Rather than witness the set-up for the next installment in the ever-growing Marvel Movie Universe (will that series never end?), you’re instead treated to the who, what, when, where, and why of these few characters so that you don’t leave the flick without knowing their true resolutions. Rest assured: I’ve read online that none of this is real – this is not a docudrama but instead an experience created to give that feel – but it’ll have you wondering otherwise. A fitting wrap-up to a winning portrait of madness.
Dead Mail (2024) was produced by Alarmist Entertainment, Contact Light Films, and Spooky Pictures. According to a quick Google.com search, the film will have its original release to the masses-at-large on Shudder effective April 18th, 2025. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I still found the provided sights-and-sounds quite exceptional. The directors use a bit of video trickery here and there to give it this grainy, dated appearance; and it works very well in crafted the atmosphere I think they wanted for the piece. Nice choice. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, I viewed the film via private access streaming; and there were no special features under consideration.
Highly Recommended.
In all honesty, Dead Mail (2024) requires a good degree of patience. It’s an exceedingly slow-burning Horror/Mystery that changes perspectives more than once; and I suspect casual viewers might give up on its goodness before the midpoint where Trent Whittington’s motivations are finally laid bare. (Mind you: methinks even that disclosure is subject to a bit of interpretation, but I refuse to spoil it.) Those willing to wait for answers should be pleased. Those unwilling? Well, there’s always something else to binge on Prime Video or Netflix … but good luck finding something this interesting, this character-centric, and this downright creepy.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Shudder provided me with complimentary streaming access to Dead Mail (2024) 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
- Published on
Good morning, gentle readers; and welcome to Wednesday, March 26th!
I've just received notification via a distributor relationship to the forthcoming release of a little something-something called Dead Mail. From what I can find online, it looks like this nifty little Horror/Thriller earned a bit of extra attention from screenings on the film festival circuit -- where a good number of productions receive buzz from industry insiders -- and is now slated for a VOD premiere on April 18, 2025 (if IMDB.com is to be trusted).
Written and directed by the team of Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, the picture stars Sterling Macer Jr, John Fleck, Tomas Boykin, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Nick Heyman, Sean Heyman, Aaron Phifer, Michael Cambridge, Micah Fitzgerald, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"An ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician."
Unless I'm misinformed (which can happen), I do believe I have access to pre-screen this one thanks to my stewardship of SciFiHistory.Net. It definitely looks and sounds like something that might tickle my fancy, so I'm encouraging like-minded folks to both check out the trailer below as well as 'watch this space' as -- if I can swing it -- a review will be forthcoming.
-- EZ
I've just received notification via a distributor relationship to the forthcoming release of a little something-something called Dead Mail. From what I can find online, it looks like this nifty little Horror/Thriller earned a bit of extra attention from screenings on the film festival circuit -- where a good number of productions receive buzz from industry insiders -- and is now slated for a VOD premiere on April 18, 2025 (if IMDB.com is to be trusted).
Written and directed by the team of Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, the picture stars Sterling Macer Jr, John Fleck, Tomas Boykin, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Nick Heyman, Sean Heyman, Aaron Phifer, Michael Cambridge, Micah Fitzgerald, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"An ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician."
Unless I'm misinformed (which can happen), I do believe I have access to pre-screen this one thanks to my stewardship of SciFiHistory.Net. It definitely looks and sounds like something that might tickle my fancy, so I'm encouraging like-minded folks to both check out the trailer below as well as 'watch this space' as -- if I can swing it -- a review will be forthcoming.
-- EZ
- Published on
DONNIE DARKO IN 35MM
The new millenium classic returns to theaters
PRESS RELEASE:
The first bonafide cult classic of the 21st century returns to theaters in a big way. In collaboration with our friends at Arrow, we've struck two brand new 35mm prints of DONNIE DARKO. Before STRANGER THINGS combined Spielberg-ian thrills and 1980s nostalgia, director Richard Kelly—along with stars Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, and Drew Barrymore—set the high-water mark. Check out the 35mm tour dates below and remember: "When the world comes to an end . . . there will be so much to look forward to."
3/28-4/3 | Metrograph | New York City
4/4-4/6 | New Beverly Cinema | Los Angeles
4/18-4/20 | Revue Cinema | Toronto
4/18-4/20 | The Brattle | Boston
5/2-5/4 | Metro Cinema | Edmonton
5/10-5/14 | Hollywood Theatre | Portland
5/16-5/17 | The Little Theatre | Rochester
5/30-6/2 | Music Box Theatre | Chicago
5/31-6/1 | The Texas Theatre | Dallas
6/25-7/1 | Sun-Ray Cinema | Tampa
6/27-6/28 | AFI Silver Theatre | Washington, DC
Week of 7/18 | Plaza Theatre | Atlanta
7/18-7/20 | Trylon | Minneapolis
10/2-10/4 | Cleveland Cinematheque | Cleveland
Want to book a newly struck 35mm print of DONNIE DARKO at your theater? Or the 4K DCP of Arrow’s gorgeous restoration? Get in touch! We’re standing by in our stupid human suits.
BOOK THE 4K DCP OR 35MM PRINT | READ MORE
AGFA elevates the power of the theatrical experience by partnering with hundreds of venues to showcase the greatest genre films of all time. To support our efforts, consider giving today.
Copyright © 2025 American Genre Film Archive, All rights reserved.
We send information about theatrical and home video releases to people who want genre films to rule the world.
The first bonafide cult classic of the 21st century returns to theaters in a big way. In collaboration with our friends at Arrow, we've struck two brand new 35mm prints of DONNIE DARKO. Before STRANGER THINGS combined Spielberg-ian thrills and 1980s nostalgia, director Richard Kelly—along with stars Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, and Drew Barrymore—set the high-water mark. Check out the 35mm tour dates below and remember: "When the world comes to an end . . . there will be so much to look forward to."
3/28-4/3 | Metrograph | New York City
4/4-4/6 | New Beverly Cinema | Los Angeles
4/18-4/20 | Revue Cinema | Toronto
4/18-4/20 | The Brattle | Boston
5/2-5/4 | Metro Cinema | Edmonton
5/10-5/14 | Hollywood Theatre | Portland
5/16-5/17 | The Little Theatre | Rochester
5/30-6/2 | Music Box Theatre | Chicago
5/31-6/1 | The Texas Theatre | Dallas
6/25-7/1 | Sun-Ray Cinema | Tampa
6/27-6/28 | AFI Silver Theatre | Washington, DC
Week of 7/18 | Plaza Theatre | Atlanta
7/18-7/20 | Trylon | Minneapolis
10/2-10/4 | Cleveland Cinematheque | Cleveland
Want to book a newly struck 35mm print of DONNIE DARKO at your theater? Or the 4K DCP of Arrow’s gorgeous restoration? Get in touch! We’re standing by in our stupid human suits.
BOOK THE 4K DCP OR 35MM PRINT | READ MORE
AGFA elevates the power of the theatrical experience by partnering with hundreds of venues to showcase the greatest genre films of all time. To support our efforts, consider giving today.
Copyright © 2025 American Genre Film Archive, All rights reserved.
We send information about theatrical and home video releases to people who want genre films to rule the world.
Our mailing address is:
American Genre Film Archive
3908 Avenue B
Austin, TX 78751
American Genre Film Archive
3908 Avenue B
Austin, TX 78751
- Published on
From the vast collection of failed television pilots, Earth II (1971) remains a project that likely intended to capitalize on both the budding popularity of Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek (once it was in television syndication, that is) and America’s interest in the burgeoning space program.
From what little I’ve been able to unearth about Earth II, the telefilm was first broadcast on November 28, 1971, to a bit of domestic fanfare, most of which seems tied to some positive print generated by an in-depth profile of the new property in TV Guide. Though I have read some indications online that it was one of the more expensive shoots for television fare at the time, I’ve been sadly unable to see that statistic confirmed anywhere (though I’ve no significant reason to doubt it, either). Directed by Tom Gries, the script shows attributed to Allan Balter (The Outer Limits, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, 1977’s The Man With The Power, and The Powers Of Matthew Star) and William Read Woodfield (1960’s The Hypnotic Eye, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, and 1975’s Satan’s Triangle). The production included such onscreen talent as Gary Lockwood, Scott Hylands, Hari Rhodes, Anthony Franciosa, Mariette Hartley, Gary Merrill, Inga Swenson, and Lew Ayres. Sadly, I’ve been unable to locate any TV broadcast ratings information; and yet given the fact that the pilot was never picked up one can safely assume that – as a prospect – this one likely fizzled noticeably.
Emerging from the period in which it did, Earth II bears a lot of similarity to its contemporary fodder. Like the aforementioned Star Trek, the story embraces inclusivity, featuring a complement of space station workers drawn from the great nations of the time, be they the United States, the Soviet Union, Japan, and more. There’s a political undercurrent to the tale which strongly suggests that the only way forward for the world as a whole is a commitment to transcend national boundaries and, instead, embrace being a ‘citizen of a new world’ wherein allegiance is to mankind instead of one’s favored homeland. Lastly, the future is depicted as a ‘Utopia’ wherein authentic democracy takes place – leaders only carry out the wishes of their constituents who literally vote on the major tasks of the day using technology – and this construct accounts for a good degree of the narrative’s conflict … well, aside for the threat of total nuclear annihilation that plays into the story when the politically neutral space colony runs up against some nasty attempts by some Earthlings to weaponize the Final Frontier.
(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:
“When Earth II, an orbiting research space station, is menaced by a Red Chinese nuclear weapon, its 2,000 inhabitants take action to disarm and dispose of the missile without resorting to violence.”
From what little I’ve been able to unearth about Earth II, the telefilm was first broadcast on November 28, 1971, to a bit of domestic fanfare, most of which seems tied to some positive print generated by an in-depth profile of the new property in TV Guide. Though I have read some indications online that it was one of the more expensive shoots for television fare at the time, I’ve been sadly unable to see that statistic confirmed anywhere (though I’ve no significant reason to doubt it, either). Directed by Tom Gries, the script shows attributed to Allan Balter (The Outer Limits, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, 1977’s The Man With The Power, and The Powers Of Matthew Star) and William Read Woodfield (1960’s The Hypnotic Eye, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, and 1975’s Satan’s Triangle). The production included such onscreen talent as Gary Lockwood, Scott Hylands, Hari Rhodes, Anthony Franciosa, Mariette Hartley, Gary Merrill, Inga Swenson, and Lew Ayres. Sadly, I’ve been unable to locate any TV broadcast ratings information; and yet given the fact that the pilot was never picked up one can safely assume that – as a prospect – this one likely fizzled noticeably.
Emerging from the period in which it did, Earth II bears a lot of similarity to its contemporary fodder. Like the aforementioned Star Trek, the story embraces inclusivity, featuring a complement of space station workers drawn from the great nations of the time, be they the United States, the Soviet Union, Japan, and more. There’s a political undercurrent to the tale which strongly suggests that the only way forward for the world as a whole is a commitment to transcend national boundaries and, instead, embrace being a ‘citizen of a new world’ wherein allegiance is to mankind instead of one’s favored homeland. Lastly, the future is depicted as a ‘Utopia’ wherein authentic democracy takes place – leaders only carry out the wishes of their constituents who literally vote on the major tasks of the day using technology – and this construct accounts for a good degree of the narrative’s conflict … well, aside for the threat of total nuclear annihilation that plays into the story when the politically neutral space colony runs up against some nasty attempts by some Earthlings to weaponize the Final Frontier.
(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:
“When Earth II, an orbiting research space station, is menaced by a Red Chinese nuclear weapon, its 2,000 inhabitants take action to disarm and dispose of the missile without resorting to violence.”
Here’s the thing …
I have this long-standing debate with the both the stars and fans of Star Trek. They insist that – at the heart of the long-running franchise – the perfect future exists and is just waiting for mankind to catch up. By contrast, I say that’s bunk and keep pointing out that were that the case – that tomorrow is this idealistic paradise – then no iteration of the show would be necessary because storytelling is predicated on D-R-A-M-A not perfection. Drama doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Drama only happens when two perspectives collide in some way on screens big and small; and I challenge them to show me a single episode of any Trek series that operates without a central C-O-N-F-L-I-C-T. Practically every damn planet the Federation shows up needs a serious time-out in some way, shape, or form; and that sentiment – under current showrunner Alex Kurtzman – has even infected Starfleet itself with the central source of evil occasionally turning out to be our fellow men, women, and children.
Ah … to me the future has always looked like a sad state of affairs. This is precisely why it’s ripe for dramatization.
But imitators of the Roddenberry universe have continued to pop up over the decades since its inception, and one of the earliest was a failed TV property called Earth II. In this fanciful twist on the same galactic formula, the United States builds this new habitat in orbit and then – at the behest of the voting public – grants the expansive space station its own independence, essentially making it a nation state in space. Allegedly, this was done entirely in hopes of demonstrating that our best days ahead as a species would apparently be more of the same institutional thuggery of throwing good money after bad. After all, who keeps footing the bill for this boondoggle’s continued existence but the American taxpayer? There’s zero indication otherwise, so … how progressive, Hollywood! Even in the future, you look very much like the present!
Still, Earth II’s structure adhered to exactly my position on Trek: we aren’t but a few years into this great experiment’s existence when China (of all nations!?) decides it, too, wants a piece of the Space Race. In hopes of establishing a foothold up there, the Red Chinese launch a satellite with defensive capabilities – i.e. three nuclear warheads – into those same heavens and parks them about a stone’s throw from the independent space station. (See what I mean? C-O-N-F-L-I-C-T is a necessary component that derails all of that naive drivel about the future being a paradise.) After trying to hash things out diplomatically, the space king of Earth II – David Seville (played by Gary Lockwood of 2001: A Space Odyssey fame) – puts the issue up for a vote of his constituents, and the voters agree by a surprisingly slim margin that those missiles are a bridge too far, meaning the station’s technicians will be doing some serious repossession.
I have this long-standing debate with the both the stars and fans of Star Trek. They insist that – at the heart of the long-running franchise – the perfect future exists and is just waiting for mankind to catch up. By contrast, I say that’s bunk and keep pointing out that were that the case – that tomorrow is this idealistic paradise – then no iteration of the show would be necessary because storytelling is predicated on D-R-A-M-A not perfection. Drama doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Drama only happens when two perspectives collide in some way on screens big and small; and I challenge them to show me a single episode of any Trek series that operates without a central C-O-N-F-L-I-C-T. Practically every damn planet the Federation shows up needs a serious time-out in some way, shape, or form; and that sentiment – under current showrunner Alex Kurtzman – has even infected Starfleet itself with the central source of evil occasionally turning out to be our fellow men, women, and children.
Ah … to me the future has always looked like a sad state of affairs. This is precisely why it’s ripe for dramatization.
But imitators of the Roddenberry universe have continued to pop up over the decades since its inception, and one of the earliest was a failed TV property called Earth II. In this fanciful twist on the same galactic formula, the United States builds this new habitat in orbit and then – at the behest of the voting public – grants the expansive space station its own independence, essentially making it a nation state in space. Allegedly, this was done entirely in hopes of demonstrating that our best days ahead as a species would apparently be more of the same institutional thuggery of throwing good money after bad. After all, who keeps footing the bill for this boondoggle’s continued existence but the American taxpayer? There’s zero indication otherwise, so … how progressive, Hollywood! Even in the future, you look very much like the present!
Still, Earth II’s structure adhered to exactly my position on Trek: we aren’t but a few years into this great experiment’s existence when China (of all nations!?) decides it, too, wants a piece of the Space Race. In hopes of establishing a foothold up there, the Red Chinese launch a satellite with defensive capabilities – i.e. three nuclear warheads – into those same heavens and parks them about a stone’s throw from the independent space station. (See what I mean? C-O-N-F-L-I-C-T is a necessary component that derails all of that naive drivel about the future being a paradise.) After trying to hash things out diplomatically, the space king of Earth II – David Seville (played by Gary Lockwood of 2001: A Space Odyssey fame) – puts the issue up for a vote of his constituents, and the voters agree by a surprisingly slim margin that those missiles are a bridge too far, meaning the station’s technicians will be doing some serious repossession.
As these events unfold, there’s more than a fair share of human drama inserted in for necessity’s sake.
New arrivals to the station – Frank (Anthony Franciosa) and Lisa Karger (Mariette Hartley) – find themselves at odds over the democratic decision to bring the missiles aboard Earth II; and – when her feminine emotions get the best of her – Lisa secretly chucks the weapons into space, nearly triggering a Star War with Earth in the process. Anton Kovalefskii (Edward Michael Bell) must set aside his fondness for Mother Russia once he learns that the Chinese missiles are, in fact, targeting the city of Moscow; as the resident electronics expert, it’s only he who can defuse these megaton bombs, but what risks must he accept while his pregnant wife Ilyana (Inga Swenson) is on the cusp of giving birth to the first baby to be born in space? These are the kind of subplot extras meant to give space stories greater human interest for the audience; and I suppose they work about as well as they were intended, though they feel more like tacked on melodrama to me.
Stylistically, the telefilm looks about as well as anything else from the same era does. Clearly, there’s a late 1960’s aesthetic to all of it, not unlike some of the more down-to-Earth designs present in Trek, 2001, and even Gerry Anderson’s Space:1999 which was a few years away yet. Most of the costumes are understandably dated – sport suits being what they were – but the astronaut uniforms were drawn from the best NASA had to offer. Also, the majority of the effects work and set design have a welcome feel, looking a bit similar to what the BBC was regularly doing with 1970’s Doctor Who than perhaps it should have for an American effort. Indeed, a few of the spacecraft designs are reminiscent of vehicles seen before. There’s a shuttlecraft that’s almost eerily similar to NASA’s Enterprise that was likely on the drawing board at the time; and the station’s worker-pod was quite possibly lifted as inspiration from the covers of any Science Fiction novels from the day.
Given that this was meant to be the foundation around which serialized television would flow, Earth II is at best modestly interesting. Sadly, it’s handled so poorly here that even the moments of high-tension wind up feeling a bit underwhelming. Even in the face of mutually assured destruction, no one involved so much as raises their voice at any time, and a good deal of the ‘action’ feels like it was underplayed deliberately, almost as if director Gries instructed the cast that speaking slowly and clearly exemplified the best human responses. The big climax sequence when the astronauts have no choice but to both beat the clock and the dangers of the rising sun to defuse the corralled nuclear missiles plays more like a NASA training video that it does a depiction to the potential end of life as we know. From what I recall, it took Starfleet’s fabled Captain James T. Kirk’s raising his voice a few times – with the necessary bluster and bravado – in order to muster his troops to face some dire circumstances. That’s missing here – missing hugely, in fact – and I suspect that’s ultimately why this franchise never really took flight to begin with.
New arrivals to the station – Frank (Anthony Franciosa) and Lisa Karger (Mariette Hartley) – find themselves at odds over the democratic decision to bring the missiles aboard Earth II; and – when her feminine emotions get the best of her – Lisa secretly chucks the weapons into space, nearly triggering a Star War with Earth in the process. Anton Kovalefskii (Edward Michael Bell) must set aside his fondness for Mother Russia once he learns that the Chinese missiles are, in fact, targeting the city of Moscow; as the resident electronics expert, it’s only he who can defuse these megaton bombs, but what risks must he accept while his pregnant wife Ilyana (Inga Swenson) is on the cusp of giving birth to the first baby to be born in space? These are the kind of subplot extras meant to give space stories greater human interest for the audience; and I suppose they work about as well as they were intended, though they feel more like tacked on melodrama to me.
Stylistically, the telefilm looks about as well as anything else from the same era does. Clearly, there’s a late 1960’s aesthetic to all of it, not unlike some of the more down-to-Earth designs present in Trek, 2001, and even Gerry Anderson’s Space:1999 which was a few years away yet. Most of the costumes are understandably dated – sport suits being what they were – but the astronaut uniforms were drawn from the best NASA had to offer. Also, the majority of the effects work and set design have a welcome feel, looking a bit similar to what the BBC was regularly doing with 1970’s Doctor Who than perhaps it should have for an American effort. Indeed, a few of the spacecraft designs are reminiscent of vehicles seen before. There’s a shuttlecraft that’s almost eerily similar to NASA’s Enterprise that was likely on the drawing board at the time; and the station’s worker-pod was quite possibly lifted as inspiration from the covers of any Science Fiction novels from the day.
Given that this was meant to be the foundation around which serialized television would flow, Earth II is at best modestly interesting. Sadly, it’s handled so poorly here that even the moments of high-tension wind up feeling a bit underwhelming. Even in the face of mutually assured destruction, no one involved so much as raises their voice at any time, and a good deal of the ‘action’ feels like it was underplayed deliberately, almost as if director Gries instructed the cast that speaking slowly and clearly exemplified the best human responses. The big climax sequence when the astronauts have no choice but to both beat the clock and the dangers of the rising sun to defuse the corralled nuclear missiles plays more like a NASA training video that it does a depiction to the potential end of life as we know. From what I recall, it took Starfleet’s fabled Captain James T. Kirk’s raising his voice a few times – with the necessary bluster and bravado – in order to muster his troops to face some dire circumstances. That’s missing here – missing hugely, in fact – and I suspect that’s ultimately why this franchise never really took flight to begin with.
Again, information online is exceptionally scarce on the history of the project beyond its U.S. airing. The Blu-ray does include an “international trailer” which makes me believe this one may’ve found life either via broadcast or theatrically outside of the 50 states. The slipcase does indicate that this release has been newly remastered and includes additional footage beyond what was apparently aired in America. Having not seen this one when it was first presented back in the day, I can’t speak to the efficacy of that claim, nor whether or not the inserted scenes might’ve improved its reception here at home.
Earth II (1971) was produced by WABE and MGM Television. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Warner Archive. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert … wow. I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be surprisingly good from start-to-finish. Granted, the TV grade of the special effects for the era are easily distinguishable here, but I thought it all still looked and sounded pretty damn spiffy. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, all that’s available was a theatrical trailer.
Mildly Recommended.
Stewards of the bygone era of TV Science Fiction might be hard-pressed to find any reason to celebrate Earth II (1971). Its elaborately slow pacing truly sucked the life out of every sequence here, and no amount of respectable visuals could inject the dosage of adrenaline necessary to go boldly once more where audiences had kinda/sorta already been. While I would hope that something sustainable could’ve emerged and evolved as a format after the bare bones of a pilot/telefilm, it’s still hard to see where this cast and only ‘local Earth stories’ could’ve swung open the pod bay doors with much potential.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Warner Archive (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Earth II (1971) 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
Earth II (1971) was produced by WABE and MGM Television. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Warner Archive. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert … wow. I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be surprisingly good from start-to-finish. Granted, the TV grade of the special effects for the era are easily distinguishable here, but I thought it all still looked and sounded pretty damn spiffy. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, all that’s available was a theatrical trailer.
Mildly Recommended.
Stewards of the bygone era of TV Science Fiction might be hard-pressed to find any reason to celebrate Earth II (1971). Its elaborately slow pacing truly sucked the life out of every sequence here, and no amount of respectable visuals could inject the dosage of adrenaline necessary to go boldly once more where audiences had kinda/sorta already been. While I would hope that something sustainable could’ve emerged and evolved as a format after the bare bones of a pilot/telefilm, it’s still hard to see where this cast and only ‘local Earth stories’ could’ve swung open the pod bay doors with much potential.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Warner Archive (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Earth II (1971) 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
- Published on
"A CREATURE FEATURE THAT FEASTS ON PAIN"
THE KILLGRIN
A Film by Joanna Tsanis
Cristo Fernández of "Ted Lasso" Fame Stars in Latest from Dark Sky Films Coming to Theaters and VOD/Digital Platforms on 4/25
Dark Sky Films is proud to announce the upcoming release of KILLGRIN, written and directed by Joanna Tsanis (Bloody Bites) and starring Cristo Fernández (Ted Lasso, Sonic the Hedgehog 3), in select theaters and on VOD/digital platforms on April 25th.
Official Film Synopsis:
After a personal tragedy, Miranda explores unconventional self-help methods, only to learn from a
spiritual healer that she has an infection of her aura called a ‘KILLGRIN’, which thrives off her misery. Initially skeptical, Miranda turns to the more traditional method of group therapy, but soon unravels a terrifying truth when people close to her suffer a gruesome fate.
Official Film Synopsis:
After a personal tragedy, Miranda explores unconventional self-help methods, only to learn from a
spiritual healer that she has an infection of her aura called a ‘KILLGRIN’, which thrives off her misery. Initially skeptical, Miranda turns to the more traditional method of group therapy, but soon unravels a terrifying truth when people close to her suffer a gruesome fate.
Directed & Written by: Joanna Tsanis (Bloody Bites)
Produced by: Ali Mashayekhi & Zeus Kontoyannis
Country: Canada/USA
Genre: Horror
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 83 minutes
Cast: Konstantina Mantelos (Anything for Jackson, Who Killed OurFather?, After Her Smile), Cristo Fernández (Ted Lasso, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Adam Tsekhman (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, The Night Agent), Ramona Milano (Workin' Moms, Degrassi: The Next Generation), Peter MacNeill (Moonshine, Good Witch) Gillian Fortin (Deadly Ex Next Door), Matt Murray (In the Dark, Snowpiercer), & Lynne Griffin (Priscilla, Seven Veils)
Produced by: Ali Mashayekhi & Zeus Kontoyannis
Country: Canada/USA
Genre: Horror
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 83 minutes
Cast: Konstantina Mantelos (Anything for Jackson, Who Killed OurFather?, After Her Smile), Cristo Fernández (Ted Lasso, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Adam Tsekhman (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, The Night Agent), Ramona Milano (Workin' Moms, Degrassi: The Next Generation), Peter MacNeill (Moonshine, Good Witch) Gillian Fortin (Deadly Ex Next Door), Matt Murray (In the Dark, Snowpiercer), & Lynne Griffin (Priscilla, Seven Veils)
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
“A creature feature that feasts on pain.”
- DREAD CENTRAL
"Unleashes a nightmare-fueled monster in a relentless tale of tragedy and terror."
- HORROR MOVIES UNCUT
"Joanna Tsanis invades your nightmares with The Killgrin, a gore-driven supernatural monster flick following a young woman’s descent into horror after a tragic loss, manifesting a demonic infection on her aura. The Killgrin is an unsettling ride filled with gore and hellish visuals.”
- HORROR MOVIES UNCUT
“A creature feature that feasts on pain.”
- DREAD CENTRAL
"Unleashes a nightmare-fueled monster in a relentless tale of tragedy and terror."
- HORROR MOVIES UNCUT
"Joanna Tsanis invades your nightmares with The Killgrin, a gore-driven supernatural monster flick following a young woman’s descent into horror after a tragic loss, manifesting a demonic infection on her aura. The Killgrin is an unsettling ride filled with gore and hellish visuals.”
- HORROR MOVIES UNCUT
- Published on
For those of you who are unaware, Horror – as a genre unto itself – took one of its biggest and boldest steps forward in the 1970’s.
Previous to that decade, audiences were scared silly more often than not with what might be best described as some larger-than-life creations or glimpses at what risks were unintentionally achieved through the bastardization of science or flirtations with supernatural entities. Movies had a fair number of monster entries, but a good deal of them were entirely impractical creations, ones that really worked more on the watchers ability to suspend disbelief in order to be truly frightened. But all of that changed in the 1970’s as storytellers really got down into the dirty details of what brought watchers to the edges of their seats. This was real-life stuff – or, admittedly, the old school stuff rendered with greater authenticity – and buckets of blood being spilled in pursuit of box office glory kinda/sorta became the norm.
In the late 1970’s and into the early 1980’s, the video explosion granted wider and wider access to mythmakers; and it became a time where any Tom, Dick, Harry, Marcia, Jan, or Cindy could throw something together – good or bad – and get it on film, find themselves a distribution outlet, and launch new careers. It was this technological advent that ultimately paved the way for slasher films; and anyone interested can do a deep dive into the plethora of indie chillers that came and went back then, with a few franchises even cropping up as a result. Tentpole intellectual properties like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday The 13th, and Halloween exist decades later, but the films still owe a debt to the 1970’s that can only be repaid … in blood!
Because experiences of this type still resonate today, releases like Butcher’s Bluff (2023) can still find a bit of exposure on the festival circuit or across any number of streaming platforms today. It’s a bloody yarn that works much like those thrillers of old, meaning it tries to establish a world to play in quickly and cheaply while at the same time delivering a body count that might make even Jason Voorhees blush. (Google the name, if you don’t know it … and shame on you, by the way.) As imperfect as it is, Bluff still manages to justify enough of its existence for crowds who still worship at Horror’s altar, though I’d argue it could’ve increased its box office returns with a vastly slimmer edit.
(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 …)
Previous to that decade, audiences were scared silly more often than not with what might be best described as some larger-than-life creations or glimpses at what risks were unintentionally achieved through the bastardization of science or flirtations with supernatural entities. Movies had a fair number of monster entries, but a good deal of them were entirely impractical creations, ones that really worked more on the watchers ability to suspend disbelief in order to be truly frightened. But all of that changed in the 1970’s as storytellers really got down into the dirty details of what brought watchers to the edges of their seats. This was real-life stuff – or, admittedly, the old school stuff rendered with greater authenticity – and buckets of blood being spilled in pursuit of box office glory kinda/sorta became the norm.
In the late 1970’s and into the early 1980’s, the video explosion granted wider and wider access to mythmakers; and it became a time where any Tom, Dick, Harry, Marcia, Jan, or Cindy could throw something together – good or bad – and get it on film, find themselves a distribution outlet, and launch new careers. It was this technological advent that ultimately paved the way for slasher films; and anyone interested can do a deep dive into the plethora of indie chillers that came and went back then, with a few franchises even cropping up as a result. Tentpole intellectual properties like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday The 13th, and Halloween exist decades later, but the films still owe a debt to the 1970’s that can only be repaid … in blood!
Because experiences of this type still resonate today, releases like Butcher’s Bluff (2023) can still find a bit of exposure on the festival circuit or across any number of streaming platforms today. It’s a bloody yarn that works much like those thrillers of old, meaning it tries to establish a world to play in quickly and cheaply while at the same time delivering a body count that might make even Jason Voorhees blush. (Google the name, if you don’t know it … and shame on you, by the way.) As imperfect as it is, Bluff still manages to justify enough of its existence for crowds who still worship at Horror’s altar, though I’d argue it could’ve increased its box office returns with a vastly slimmer edit.
(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:
“When four college students set out to investigate the legend of the Hogman for their film thesis, they expect to uncover little more than small-town folklore. But as they dig deeper into the dark history of Emerald Falls, they realize the brutal killer may be more than just a myth. Wearing a grotesque hog mask, the Hogman is a relentless force of terror, hunting down anyone who crosses into his domain. As the students' project turns into a desperate fight for survival, they must unravel the truth behind the blood-soaked legend before they become his next victims.”
Succinctly put, Butcher’s Bluff is the kind of film that doesn’t need a great deal of explanation, minimizing the need for me to dissect it in any great respect.
Basically, it’s a slasher film – the kind that practically everyone alive today understands the formula for – with a dash of local legends thrown in for good measure. There’s this kid, you see, and he was grievously, grievously wrong in his youth, so much so that it stifled any healthy development. As he grew, so did his appetite for destroying anything that didn’t fit peacefully within the parameters of his smalltown world. Rather than spend countless hours in expensive and ultimately useless therapy, he chooses to act out on his worst impulses, hacking all of those who trespass in his space into little more than bloody pulp. Yes, it’s the ultimate ‘hard knock life,’ but – then again – who cares? If anyone did, then our central killer wouldn’t have ended up like this in the first place.
But being such a formulaic encounter doesn’t forgive Bluff’s sins, of which quite a few are committed.
Chiefly, its young cast – every single one of them little more than ‘victims in waiting’ – is far too bland. There isn’t really a distinguishable one among them – meaning that unlike far superior pictures – the audience doesn’t have one to root for. Staying true to form, there’s even a ‘final girl’ in the picture – yes, she’s comely with ample female goodness we’ve grown to appreciate – but given that we’ve not spent sufficient time ‘falling in love with her’ theatrically her plight ends up meaning next to nothing. That’s a big miss.
Secondly, far too much of Bluff feels like it was almost note-for-note inspired by those aforementioned superior pictures. In a world where imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, too many of these sequences work like jazz riffs on what other directors have already brought to the screen. When there’s absolutely nothing wrong with coopted a shot or two from what’s been done before, it starts to feel counterfeit if you can’t back it up with ideas – or characters – entirely of your own. That doesn’t happen here, and it, too, is a bit of a miss … or misfire.
Furthermore – and perhaps this is Bluff’s greatest sin – the story stretches on far longer than it ultimately needs, especially given the fact that it looks so much like what viewers expect of some backwoods mongoloid gone hacking-hacking-hacking crazy. Don’t get me wrong: the Hog Man – as a dastardly centerpiece – is original enough to have his own feature film, and yet if that’s the case why must his adventure resemble so much of what Friday The 13th’s Jason, Halloween’s Michael Myers, Texas Chainsaw’s Leatherface, and Hatchet’s Victor Crowley have already been through? And if their journeys are so similar, then why must Hog Man’s take so much more time getting to his big ending than those other notable killers? There are scenes that, simply, didn’t need to be in Bluff; and a trim of the editorial type was most definitely in order.
“When four college students set out to investigate the legend of the Hogman for their film thesis, they expect to uncover little more than small-town folklore. But as they dig deeper into the dark history of Emerald Falls, they realize the brutal killer may be more than just a myth. Wearing a grotesque hog mask, the Hogman is a relentless force of terror, hunting down anyone who crosses into his domain. As the students' project turns into a desperate fight for survival, they must unravel the truth behind the blood-soaked legend before they become his next victims.”
Succinctly put, Butcher’s Bluff is the kind of film that doesn’t need a great deal of explanation, minimizing the need for me to dissect it in any great respect.
Basically, it’s a slasher film – the kind that practically everyone alive today understands the formula for – with a dash of local legends thrown in for good measure. There’s this kid, you see, and he was grievously, grievously wrong in his youth, so much so that it stifled any healthy development. As he grew, so did his appetite for destroying anything that didn’t fit peacefully within the parameters of his smalltown world. Rather than spend countless hours in expensive and ultimately useless therapy, he chooses to act out on his worst impulses, hacking all of those who trespass in his space into little more than bloody pulp. Yes, it’s the ultimate ‘hard knock life,’ but – then again – who cares? If anyone did, then our central killer wouldn’t have ended up like this in the first place.
But being such a formulaic encounter doesn’t forgive Bluff’s sins, of which quite a few are committed.
Chiefly, its young cast – every single one of them little more than ‘victims in waiting’ – is far too bland. There isn’t really a distinguishable one among them – meaning that unlike far superior pictures – the audience doesn’t have one to root for. Staying true to form, there’s even a ‘final girl’ in the picture – yes, she’s comely with ample female goodness we’ve grown to appreciate – but given that we’ve not spent sufficient time ‘falling in love with her’ theatrically her plight ends up meaning next to nothing. That’s a big miss.
Secondly, far too much of Bluff feels like it was almost note-for-note inspired by those aforementioned superior pictures. In a world where imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, too many of these sequences work like jazz riffs on what other directors have already brought to the screen. When there’s absolutely nothing wrong with coopted a shot or two from what’s been done before, it starts to feel counterfeit if you can’t back it up with ideas – or characters – entirely of your own. That doesn’t happen here, and it, too, is a bit of a miss … or misfire.
Furthermore – and perhaps this is Bluff’s greatest sin – the story stretches on far longer than it ultimately needs, especially given the fact that it looks so much like what viewers expect of some backwoods mongoloid gone hacking-hacking-hacking crazy. Don’t get me wrong: the Hog Man – as a dastardly centerpiece – is original enough to have his own feature film, and yet if that’s the case why must his adventure resemble so much of what Friday The 13th’s Jason, Halloween’s Michael Myers, Texas Chainsaw’s Leatherface, and Hatchet’s Victor Crowley have already been through? And if their journeys are so similar, then why must Hog Man’s take so much more time getting to his big ending than those other notable killers? There are scenes that, simply, didn’t need to be in Bluff; and a trim of the editorial type was most definitely in order.
Again, none of these complaints should diminish the unadulterated fun some will have with the picture. As it stands, it looks great. It feels at home in its own raggedy shoes. It delivers an impressive body count in just the way a respectable Horror feature should. Still, there’s no explanation for why the bloodthirsty Alex Grimley suddenly decided to increase his killing spree by an astonishing fourteen additions when it’s established that in the past twenty years he’s only murdered twice that. A greater reason was needed to place our bloody madman in this time and place; and that – along with a snip here and a snip there in the editing booth – might’ve made this one worthy of a sequel.
Granted, it’s left wide open for another chapter, but the true risk is whether anyone will ultimately show, am I right?
Butcher’s Bluff (2023) was produced by Dull Knife Productions, Thunder Mountain Films, and Spicy Ramen Productions. Presently, the film shows available for streaming purchase via a variety of internet platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert and I’m not exactly well known for shouting the praises of cinematography generally, I’ll admit that I found a great deal of Bluff to be exceptionally well conceived: all of it is, thankfully, accomplished with in-camera practical effects, and that’s a solid throwback to the way things used to be done for old school Horror enthusiasts. (FYI: yes, there were a few sequences that could’ve been trimmed or filmed differently for greater effect, but as a low budget slasher flick this one was pretty smart.) Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, I viewed this one via streaming, so there were no assorted extras under consideration.
Recommended, but …
The upside to experiencing a modest thrill ride like Butcher’s Bluff (2023) is that – even though you’ve likely seen a lot of it before – it has a workmanship-like quality that makes it look like it could share universes with any number of like-minded productions. Of course, the downside is much the same, that the end result isn’t different enough from so much of what’s come before and still being accomplished today that it lacks any true distinctiveness nor the inherent ability to stand on its own. While purists will likely be pleased, newcomers and even casual watchers might get bored quickly, especially with its 120-minute running time. Chillers work best when they respect a greater economy in getting to the good stuff; that said, this butcher should’ve cleaved off about 20-30 minutes for a finer cut.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Breaking Glass Pictures provided me with complimentary streaming access to Butcher’s Bluff (2023) 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
Granted, it’s left wide open for another chapter, but the true risk is whether anyone will ultimately show, am I right?
Butcher’s Bluff (2023) was produced by Dull Knife Productions, Thunder Mountain Films, and Spicy Ramen Productions. Presently, the film shows available for streaming purchase via a variety of internet platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert and I’m not exactly well known for shouting the praises of cinematography generally, I’ll admit that I found a great deal of Bluff to be exceptionally well conceived: all of it is, thankfully, accomplished with in-camera practical effects, and that’s a solid throwback to the way things used to be done for old school Horror enthusiasts. (FYI: yes, there were a few sequences that could’ve been trimmed or filmed differently for greater effect, but as a low budget slasher flick this one was pretty smart.) Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, I viewed this one via streaming, so there were no assorted extras under consideration.
Recommended, but …
The upside to experiencing a modest thrill ride like Butcher’s Bluff (2023) is that – even though you’ve likely seen a lot of it before – it has a workmanship-like quality that makes it look like it could share universes with any number of like-minded productions. Of course, the downside is much the same, that the end result isn’t different enough from so much of what’s come before and still being accomplished today that it lacks any true distinctiveness nor the inherent ability to stand on its own. While purists will likely be pleased, newcomers and even casual watchers might get bored quickly, especially with its 120-minute running time. Chillers work best when they respect a greater economy in getting to the good stuff; that said, this butcher should’ve cleaved off about 20-30 minutes for a finer cut.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Breaking Glass Pictures provided me with complimentary streaming access to Butcher’s Bluff (2023) 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
- Published on
Dark Sky Film Presents
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
A DESERT
A FILM BY JOSHUA ERKMAN
STARRING DAVID YOW, KAI LENNOX, SARAH LIND, ZACHARY RAY SHERMAN, ASHLEY B. SMITH & ROB ZABRECKY
SCORE BY TY SEGALL
IN THEATERS MAY 2nd
Official Selection - Tribeca Film Festival
Total Film Award Best Film at FrightFest
Best Actor for Zach Sherman at FrightFest
Best Feature - New Visions at Sitges
Official Selection - Beyond Fest
Official Selection - Rama Skrik
SYNOPSIS:
A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.
A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.
With music by Ty Segall whose new album Possession comes out May 30th, A DESERT stars David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210) and Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity).
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Joshua Erkman is a writer, director, and musician living and working in Los Angeles. A DESERT is his first feature film. He received his BA in Cinema-Television Production from USC.
His surreal and horror-tinged short films have played at multiple film festivals around the world and have been licensed by streaming platforms Shudder and Alter.
In 2016, he was selected to participate in AMC Network’s inaugural Shudder Labs filmmaker program. His short film HIDDEN MOTHER was one of eight short films produced by the Sundance Institute and Hulu as part of Huluween 2019. Additionally, his feature project THE ARSONISTS, was selected to participate in the 2021 Frontieres genre market, organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival in collaboration with Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes.
He has directed a number of music videos for various rock ‘n roll/punk groups, which have been featured in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Pitchfork.
A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.
A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.
With music by Ty Segall whose new album Possession comes out May 30th, A DESERT stars David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210) and Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity).
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Joshua Erkman is a writer, director, and musician living and working in Los Angeles. A DESERT is his first feature film. He received his BA in Cinema-Television Production from USC.
His surreal and horror-tinged short films have played at multiple film festivals around the world and have been licensed by streaming platforms Shudder and Alter.
In 2016, he was selected to participate in AMC Network’s inaugural Shudder Labs filmmaker program. His short film HIDDEN MOTHER was one of eight short films produced by the Sundance Institute and Hulu as part of Huluween 2019. Additionally, his feature project THE ARSONISTS, was selected to participate in the 2021 Frontieres genre market, organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival in collaboration with Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes.
He has directed a number of music videos for various rock ‘n roll/punk groups, which have been featured in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Pitchfork.
A DESERT
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
Directed by: Joshua Erkman
Written by: Joshua Erkman & Bossi Baker
Produced by: Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman, Justin Timms, & Joe Yanick
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 102 minutes
Cast: David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210), Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity),
Rob Zabrecky (Lost River, A Ghost Story) & S.A Griffin (Free LSD, California Scheming)
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
Directed by: Joshua Erkman
Written by: Joshua Erkman & Bossi Baker
Produced by: Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman, Justin Timms, & Joe Yanick
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 102 minutes
Cast: David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210), Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity),
Rob Zabrecky (Lost River, A Ghost Story) & S.A Griffin (Free LSD, California Scheming)
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
"Had a great time with this one!" - INDIEWIRE
"It’s a nightmare that burrows under one’s skin like a virus (or a curse), and it heralds its creator as a bracing new genre-filmmaking voice." - DAILY BEAST
"Erkman has made a distinctly eerie and sinister debut that succeeds at sneaking into the depths of your subconscious." - COLLIDER
"Incredibly impressed!" - RUE MORGUE
"There’s no hand holding or easy answers in this genre-bender, but its richly textured world and morally complex characters ensure an unpredictable voyage worth taking." - BLOODY DISGUSTING
"Loved the film. Made me feel the worst in a long time - and that’s a compliment. The bastard love child of Psycho and Twentynine Palms. I liked that the film treats the viewer as grown ups, and is like a [messed] up choose your own adventures for sickos.” - AWFJ
"I really enjoyed. Joshua Erkman’s metacinematic feature debut is an elegiac neo-noir located where photography, pornography and geology cross paths." - PROJECTED FIGURES
"Had a great time with this one!" - INDIEWIRE
"It’s a nightmare that burrows under one’s skin like a virus (or a curse), and it heralds its creator as a bracing new genre-filmmaking voice." - DAILY BEAST
"Erkman has made a distinctly eerie and sinister debut that succeeds at sneaking into the depths of your subconscious." - COLLIDER
"Incredibly impressed!" - RUE MORGUE
"There’s no hand holding or easy answers in this genre-bender, but its richly textured world and morally complex characters ensure an unpredictable voyage worth taking." - BLOODY DISGUSTING
"Loved the film. Made me feel the worst in a long time - and that’s a compliment. The bastard love child of Psycho and Twentynine Palms. I liked that the film treats the viewer as grown ups, and is like a [messed] up choose your own adventures for sickos.” - AWFJ
"I really enjoyed. Joshua Erkman’s metacinematic feature debut is an elegiac neo-noir located where photography, pornography and geology cross paths." - PROJECTED FIGURES
- Published on
Folks, one of my duties as Editor-In-Chief of SciFiHistory.Net is to keep you abreast of the very latest developments in entertainment news and more. As many of you know, I'm always happy to pass along announcements from any of my affiliated partnerships; and, yes, that even includes opportunities for you to spend some hard earned cash on things that many of us hold near and dear ... like physical media.
In that respect, I'm thrilled to pass along news this morning for the very fine folks over at Warner Archive. To celebrate their sixteen years of business -- an anniversary that happened just yesterday -- they're having a fabulous "4 For $49" sale over at their website which you can access by following the link right here. According to their press materials, they've put up an incredible 550 titles, ranging from Dramas and Comedies to Horror and Science Fiction and even Westerns. No doubt, there's a little bit of something in there for everyone, so readers are encouraged to check it out. If you're so inclined to stock up, then be sure to use the code ARCHIVE16 in the corresponding field at checkout.
For the record, I've done business with Warner Archive myself; and I've had nothing but solid interactions. You folks know of my fondness for older features, and there's no better outlet for those choices but the WB. Highest recommendation possible from yours truly!
Happy shopping!
-- EZ
In that respect, I'm thrilled to pass along news this morning for the very fine folks over at Warner Archive. To celebrate their sixteen years of business -- an anniversary that happened just yesterday -- they're having a fabulous "4 For $49" sale over at their website which you can access by following the link right here. According to their press materials, they've put up an incredible 550 titles, ranging from Dramas and Comedies to Horror and Science Fiction and even Westerns. No doubt, there's a little bit of something in there for everyone, so readers are encouraged to check it out. If you're so inclined to stock up, then be sure to use the code ARCHIVE16 in the corresponding field at checkout.
For the record, I've done business with Warner Archive myself; and I've had nothing but solid interactions. You folks know of my fondness for older features, and there's no better outlet for those choices but the WB. Highest recommendation possible from yours truly!
Happy shopping!
-- EZ
- Published on
Severin Films celebrates the remarkable legacy of Doctor Who with the North American UHD Premieres of DR. WHO & THE DALEKS and DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D., each featuring the only performances by Peter Cushing as the legendary Doctor in the only feature films adapted from the long-running BBC series. Newly scanned in 4K from the original 35mm Techniscope negatives, these beloved movies boast more than 10½ combined hours of Special Features that honor Dalekmania, Whovian fandom and the indelible impact Doctor Who continues to have on sci-fi around the world.
Severin is also proud to present the restoration of two ‘50s B-movies with disturbing legacies: The 1951 Cold War sci-fi saga UNKNOWN WORLD is strongly rumored to have been scripted by blacklisted 2x Academy Award® winner Dalton Trumbo and stars an uncredited Victor Kilian, who was declared a hostile witness by The House Un-American Activities Committee and whose name was summarily removed from the film’s credits and advertising. The 1958 UK shocker JACK THE RIPPER was heavily edited for release in America by legendary showman Joseph E. Levine, yet its distribution here was halted when audiences were horrified by its grisly violence and graphic nudity. Severin’s UHD Premiere of JACK THE RIPPER will include the European and U.S. versions, now restored uncut from newly discovered elements.
Severin is also proud to present the restoration of two ‘50s B-movies with disturbing legacies: The 1951 Cold War sci-fi saga UNKNOWN WORLD is strongly rumored to have been scripted by blacklisted 2x Academy Award® winner Dalton Trumbo and stars an uncredited Victor Kilian, who was declared a hostile witness by The House Un-American Activities Committee and whose name was summarily removed from the film’s credits and advertising. The 1958 UK shocker JACK THE RIPPER was heavily edited for release in America by legendary showman Joseph E. Levine, yet its distribution here was halted when audiences were horrified by its grisly violence and graphic nudity. Severin’s UHD Premiere of JACK THE RIPPER will include the European and U.S. versions, now restored uncut from newly discovered elements.
At the height of Dalekmania, producers Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg bought the rights to the black & white BBC-TV serial created by Terry Nation for the Technicolor movie adaptation that delivers “non-stop fun and extermination” (DVD Beaver), now in UHD: When his time-travel phone box TARDIS is accidentally activated, eccentric inventor Dr. Who (genre legend Peter Cushing) – along with granddaughters Susan (Roberta Tovey), Barbara (Jennie Linden) and her bumbling boyfriend Ian (Roy Castle of DR. TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS) – are transported to the planet Skaro where they’re caught in the middle of a war between the benevolent Thals and evil Daleks. Directed by Gordon Flemyng (DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D.), this 1965 sci-fi favorite “feels like a comicstrip brought to the big screen with bold colors and an upbeat, adventurous tone” (Critical Popcorn) and is newly scanned in 4K from the original Techniscope 35mm negative by StudioCanal with over 6 hours of Special Features.
DR. WHO & THE DALEKS Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
Feature Specs for DR. WHO & THE DALEKS:
DR. WHO & THE DALEKS Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones And Kim Newman
- Audio Commentary With Stars Jennie Linden And Roberta Tovey, Moderated By Journalist Jonathan Sothcott
- Audio Commentary With Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman And Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss
- Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones And Kim Newman
- Audio Commentary With Stars Jennie Linden And Roberta Tovey, Moderated By Journalist Jonathan Sothcott
- Audio Commentary With Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman And Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss
- 1992 Audio Interview With Director Gordon Flemyng By Author/Journalist Tony Earnshaw
- Subotsky And The Daleks: Part 1 – Interview With Producer Milton Subotsky
- Kara And The Daleks – Interview With Doctor Who Expert Kara Dennison
- DALEKMANIA – 1995 Documentary (60 mins)
- Interview With Gareth Owen, Author Of The Shepperton Story
- The Dalek Legacy: Destination Skaro – With Nicholas Briggs (Voice Of The Daleks), Screenwriter Robert Shearman, Visual Effects Designer Mike Tucker (Doctor Who), Editorial Assistant Emily Cook (Doctor Who Magazine) And Writer/3D Artist Gavin Rymill (Doctor Who Magazine)
- Trailer
- Still Gallery
Feature Specs for DR. WHO & THE DALEKS:
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- 4K Video: Dolby Vision
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Runtime: 83 mins
- Region: UHD A/B/C, Blu-ray A
The Daleks are back – and more brutal than before – in the “impressive work that delivers all-out adventure with refreshingly little messing about” (Eye For Film), now in UHD: When the TARDIS travels to 2150 A.D., Dr. Who (genre icon Peter Cushing) – along with his niece Louise (Jill Curzon), granddaughter Susan (Roberta Tovey) and policeman Tom Campbell (Bernard Cribbins, the BBC-TV series’ future Wilfred Mott) – discovers that humanity has been enslaved by Daleks. As a rebel force of survivors battles the metallic invaders, can the Doctor save the last of London from total extermination? Andrew Keir (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT) co-stars in this “endearing sequel with excellent action scenes” (Empire) directed by Gordon Flemyng (DR. WHO & THE DALEKS), newly scanned in 4K from the original Techniscope 35mm negative by StudioCanal with over 4 hours of Special Features.
DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
Feature Specs for DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D.:
DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones And Kim Newman
- Audio Commentary With Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman And Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss
- Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones And Kim Newman
- Audio Commentary With Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman And Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss
- Daleks Invasion BBC, 1963 To 1969 A.D. – Interview With Doctor Who Expert Stephen Thrower
- Subotsky And The Daleks: Part 2 – Interview With Producer Milton Subotsky
- Interview With Actor Bernard Cribbins
- Interview With Gareth Owen, Author Of The Shepperton Story
- The Dalek Legacy: Invasion Earth – With Nicholas Briggs (Voice Of The Daleks), Screenwriter Robert Shearman, Visual Effects Designer Mike Tucker (Doctor Who), Editorial Assistant Emily Cook (Doctor Who Magazine) And Writer/3D Artist Gavin Rymill (Doctor Who Magazine)
- Restoring Dr. Who In 4K – With Restoration Expert Anthony Badger, Film Prep And Scanning Expert Ray King And Colorist Steve Bearman
- Trailer
- Still Gallery
Feature Specs for DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D.:
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- 4K Video: Dolby Vision
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Runtime: 85 mins
- Region: UHD A/B/C, Blu-ray A
UNKNOWN WORLD
In this Cold War variation on Journey To The Center Of The Earth scripted by Oscar® nominee Millard Kaufman (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK) – and possibly by blacklisted 2x Academy Award® winner Dalton Trumbo – ‘50s sci-fi took a startling turn into a grim abyss: As the world teeters on the brink of nuclear annihilation, a renegade scientist (veteran character actor Victor Kilian, uncredited due to his own blacklisting) assembles a team of experts to drill deep into the earth’s core in search of a new ecosystem where humanity can survive. Otto Waldis (ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN) and Marilyn Nash (MONSIEUR VERDOUX) co-star in this unjustly forgotten classic produced by visual effects artists Jack Rabin & Irving Block (ROCKETSHIP X-M, KRONOS), directed by Terrell O. Morse (GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS!) and filmed in Carlsbad Caverns, now scanned uncut in 4K from the protection internegative for the first time ever.
UNKNOWN WORLD Special Features:
Feature Specs for UNKNOWN WORLD:
In this Cold War variation on Journey To The Center Of The Earth scripted by Oscar® nominee Millard Kaufman (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK) – and possibly by blacklisted 2x Academy Award® winner Dalton Trumbo – ‘50s sci-fi took a startling turn into a grim abyss: As the world teeters on the brink of nuclear annihilation, a renegade scientist (veteran character actor Victor Kilian, uncredited due to his own blacklisting) assembles a team of experts to drill deep into the earth’s core in search of a new ecosystem where humanity can survive. Otto Waldis (ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN) and Marilyn Nash (MONSIEUR VERDOUX) co-star in this unjustly forgotten classic produced by visual effects artists Jack Rabin & Irving Block (ROCKETSHIP X-M, KRONOS), directed by Terrell O. Morse (GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS!) and filmed in Carlsbad Caverns, now scanned uncut in 4K from the protection internegative for the first time ever.
UNKNOWN WORLD Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Film Writer Stephen R. Bissette
- Victor Kilian: A Blacklist Legacy – Interview With Crawford Kilian, Actor Victor Kilian's Grandson
- The Unknown World Of Terrell O. Morse – Interview With Film Historian C. Courtney Joyner
- Special Effects Maestros Of The 1950s – Video Essay By Comic Book Artist Stephen R. Bissette
- Trailer
Feature Specs for UNKNOWN WORLD:
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Runtime: 75 mins
- Region: A/B/C
JACK THE RIPPER
In 1958, legendary showman Joseph E. Levine unleashed this grisly UK thriller on American moviegoers. But when audiences were horrified by the film’s startling violence, graphic nudity and bloody Technicolor climax, it became one of Levine’s most infamous failures. Today – in its notorious European version and the re-scored American cut – it remains among the more provocative shockers of its time. Eddie Byrne (THE MUMMY) and Lee Patterson (TV’s Surfside 6) star in “one of the most underappreciated films in the Ripper canon” (Daily Grindhouse), produced/directed by Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman (BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE) and written by Hammer Films’ legendary Jimmy Sangster (THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HORROR OF DRACULA), both now scanned uncut in 4K from a newly discovered internegative and fine grain protection print for the first time ever.
JACK THE RIPPER Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
Feature Specs for JACK THE RIPPER:
In 1958, legendary showman Joseph E. Levine unleashed this grisly UK thriller on American moviegoers. But when audiences were horrified by the film’s startling violence, graphic nudity and bloody Technicolor climax, it became one of Levine’s most infamous failures. Today – in its notorious European version and the re-scored American cut – it remains among the more provocative shockers of its time. Eddie Byrne (THE MUMMY) and Lee Patterson (TV’s Surfside 6) star in “one of the most underappreciated films in the Ripper canon” (Daily Grindhouse), produced/directed by Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman (BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE) and written by Hammer Films’ legendary Jimmy Sangster (THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HORROR OF DRACULA), both now scanned uncut in 4K from a newly discovered internegative and fine grain protection print for the first time ever.
JACK THE RIPPER Special Features:
Disc 1: UHD (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Co-Director/Co-Producer/Co-Cinematographer Robert S. Baker, Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster And Assistant Director Peter Manley, Moderated By British Horror Historian Marcus Hearn
- Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features):
- Audio Commentary With Co-Director/Co-Producer/Co-Cinematographer Robert S. Baker, Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster And Assistant Director Peter Manley, Moderated By British Horror Historian Marcus Hearn
- The Reel Jack The Ripper – Interview With Denis Meikle, Author Of Jack The Ripper: The Murders And The Movies
- Gentleman Jack – The Whitechapel Murders Revisited
- Choice Cuts: The Two Faces Of Jack The Ripper – Interview With Alain Petit, Ripperologist Extraordinaire
- Trailer
- Poster And Still Gallery
Feature Specs for JACK THE RIPPER:
- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- 4K Video: HDR10
- Audio: English Mono
- Closed Captions: English SDH
- Runtime: European Version: 85 mins / U.S. Version: 85 mins
- Region: A/B/C
- Published on
(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:
“A woman earns a living by smuggling exotic animals and illegal goods, developing a mobile app that links users with mystical marabout healers, but one of the user's consultations takes a tragic turn facing a violent backlash.”
I’m a firm believer that we, as a species, do call anything we don’t understand ‘magic,’ and – yes – this statement most definitely concerns ‘black magic,’ a topic that gets a contemporary makeover in 2023’s Hood Witch. The dirty little secret, however, is that there really isn’t all that much magic on display in the film: while the thriller from writer/director Saïd Belktibia strongly suggests a bit of hocus-pocus could be taking place, he also pairs a good deal of these events with some religious and/or spiritual connections, so much so that it’s pretty clear that he’s left defining what power their might be in the wide, wide universe up to the eyes of the beholder. That’s a reasonable position, but it might have the storyteller losing support from fans who really wanted proof that the supernatural is more commonplace than folks want to believe.
Viewers are introduced to Nour (played by a stunning Golshifteh Farahani) and her equally superstitious protégé/son Amine (Amine Zariouhi) under curious circumstances: the lady is caught red-handed trying to smuggle a veritable zoo’s worth of exotic animals into the country underneath her burqa. What the government authorities fail to recover are two smaller and even deadlier frogs she’s sealed in plastic and swallowed for safekeeping. Once back home, she pulls them from her esophagus via thread tied to her teeth; and – rest assured – these little buggers do play a significant role late in the picture.
As a practitioner of some dark arts, Nour has built herself a neighborhood clientele who’ve reaped the benefits of her various spells and incantations, making her the ‘hood witch’ around which the entire tale is structured. Because such magic has proven successful, our lovely magician has come up with an idea to bring witchcraft into the modern age, offering her services to the world-at-large via a smartphone APP. While profits begin to build up in her bank account – money she so desperately needs since she’s estranged from deadbeat husband Dylan (Jérémy Ferrari) – so, too, does her reputation grow in the local community. Suffice it to say, not all of her neighbors are as supportive as they could be, and this draws some condemnation from the local heavy Ahmed (Issaka Sawadogo) and the Islamic leader Lyes Boussoufi (Karim Belkhadra).
When one of the young men under her care dies under curious circumstances (suicide is strongly suggested but it’s never confirmed), Nour finds herself in the center of the brewing controversy. She’s christened a witch by those around her, and suddenly she’s running for her life with Amine in tow from a mob who would seen her burned alive (as we did to witches of old) for engaging in the Devil’s business. Eventually, Dylan gets his hands on their son; and – in what he hopes will be an attempt to save the son’s immortal soul – he has the local cleric begin the process to exorcise the youth before it’s too late.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A woman earns a living by smuggling exotic animals and illegal goods, developing a mobile app that links users with mystical marabout healers, but one of the user's consultations takes a tragic turn facing a violent backlash.”
I’m a firm believer that we, as a species, do call anything we don’t understand ‘magic,’ and – yes – this statement most definitely concerns ‘black magic,’ a topic that gets a contemporary makeover in 2023’s Hood Witch. The dirty little secret, however, is that there really isn’t all that much magic on display in the film: while the thriller from writer/director Saïd Belktibia strongly suggests a bit of hocus-pocus could be taking place, he also pairs a good deal of these events with some religious and/or spiritual connections, so much so that it’s pretty clear that he’s left defining what power their might be in the wide, wide universe up to the eyes of the beholder. That’s a reasonable position, but it might have the storyteller losing support from fans who really wanted proof that the supernatural is more commonplace than folks want to believe.
Viewers are introduced to Nour (played by a stunning Golshifteh Farahani) and her equally superstitious protégé/son Amine (Amine Zariouhi) under curious circumstances: the lady is caught red-handed trying to smuggle a veritable zoo’s worth of exotic animals into the country underneath her burqa. What the government authorities fail to recover are two smaller and even deadlier frogs she’s sealed in plastic and swallowed for safekeeping. Once back home, she pulls them from her esophagus via thread tied to her teeth; and – rest assured – these little buggers do play a significant role late in the picture.
As a practitioner of some dark arts, Nour has built herself a neighborhood clientele who’ve reaped the benefits of her various spells and incantations, making her the ‘hood witch’ around which the entire tale is structured. Because such magic has proven successful, our lovely magician has come up with an idea to bring witchcraft into the modern age, offering her services to the world-at-large via a smartphone APP. While profits begin to build up in her bank account – money she so desperately needs since she’s estranged from deadbeat husband Dylan (Jérémy Ferrari) – so, too, does her reputation grow in the local community. Suffice it to say, not all of her neighbors are as supportive as they could be, and this draws some condemnation from the local heavy Ahmed (Issaka Sawadogo) and the Islamic leader Lyes Boussoufi (Karim Belkhadra).
When one of the young men under her care dies under curious circumstances (suicide is strongly suggested but it’s never confirmed), Nour finds herself in the center of the brewing controversy. She’s christened a witch by those around her, and suddenly she’s running for her life with Amine in tow from a mob who would seen her burned alive (as we did to witches of old) for engaging in the Devil’s business. Eventually, Dylan gets his hands on their son; and – in what he hopes will be an attempt to save the son’s immortal soul – he has the local cleric begin the process to exorcise the youth before it’s too late.
Essentially, Hood Witch turns away from its Folk Horror roots in the second half when Belktibia morphs the procedure into more of a dramatic Thriller. (That’s not a complaint but rather an honest observation about where it all goes.) Granted, Nour’s intimate knowledge does work itself rather loosely through some elements of the action; and yet there’s no denying that black magic really serves more as a loose thread than it does a prominent plot point as things develop. Conventions being what they are, Belktibia even takes a somewhat easy (or lazy) way out as he explores witchcraft and spirituality on parallel tracks, likening the practices of both as truly being the product of their respective believers. Because the faith represented here is Islam, I can’t help but wonder is the storyteller has a death wish as practitioners of that ‘religion of peace’ don’t take kindly to even casual criticism of worship; but who am I to say?
As for performances, Hood Witch actually receives strong marks. Zariouhi represents an effective youth position: while he demonstrates some affinity for what his mother is accomplishing with her chants and the like, he never appears to have fully embraced what practicing might be. He dabbles – indeed, he’s tied directly to the aforementioned possible suicide – but he’s equally aghast when things don’t turn out the way they could have. Ferrari – as the somewhat jilted husband – is a bit of a quandary: he’s painted as little more than a thug with violent tendencies is early scenes but does seem to authentically care about Amine’s spiritual self. It would’ve been nice to have been provided a bit more as his last sequence suggests he was willing to watch his son die at the hands of a mad cleric when the dispossession comes across as religious violence.
But … wow … Farahani truly delivers a centered performance, one that gives her ample opportunity to show her skills in big and small ways. She’s tender in one scene and then – as mothers can be – a bit detached in the next; but once her child’s life is on the line she quickly becomes the Holy Terror – with her own special bag of tricks – no one wants to face in a crisis like this. I’m honestly a bit flummoxed that I haven’t seen more of her, but her IMDB.com profile suggests she’s caught the attention of critics and audiences alike in her bid for stardom.
Still, Hood Witch’s biggest weakness is that it never quite commits to any pervasive vision when it comes to the central witchery. Perhaps Belktibia felt that showing Nour as a practitioner was good enough, or perhaps he didn’t really want to clarify for the purposes of this story whether or not any of her work accomplished anything. That’s most likely the case given the fact that his story really offers up challenging the belief of any system – witchcraft, religion, etc. – that would potentially inflict harm in the pursuit of doing good deeds, spiritual or otherwise. But there’s a closing exchange between mother and son than has the flair of jokiness that honestly left a bad taste in my mouth; and I think these two big characters deserved more than a kinda/sorta jest after all they’d been through.
Hood Witch (2023) was produced by Iconoclast, Lyly Films, France 2 Cinéma, Canal+, Ciné+, France Télévisions, and Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC). The film shows presently available for streaming via a variety of internet platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be exceptional from start-to-finish. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Since I viewed the film via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Recommended.
While interesting – perhaps for discussion’s sake – Hood Witch (2023) is ultimately a bit frustrating as its conclusion really fails to tie up all of the action and resulting chaos in any definitive way. Like those witches of old, the modern incarnation seems to be nothing more than an outcast with an odd fascination with deadly trivia; and Nour – as a character – perhaps deserved to be given a stronger epitaph than trying to trick her teenage son in the final reel. I suspect that was her way at thumbing her nose at the suggested religious convention – that of exorcising a possible demon – and kudos to her character for minimally staying true to her convictions.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at MPI Media Group provided me with complimentary streaming access to Hood Witch (2023) 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
As for performances, Hood Witch actually receives strong marks. Zariouhi represents an effective youth position: while he demonstrates some affinity for what his mother is accomplishing with her chants and the like, he never appears to have fully embraced what practicing might be. He dabbles – indeed, he’s tied directly to the aforementioned possible suicide – but he’s equally aghast when things don’t turn out the way they could have. Ferrari – as the somewhat jilted husband – is a bit of a quandary: he’s painted as little more than a thug with violent tendencies is early scenes but does seem to authentically care about Amine’s spiritual self. It would’ve been nice to have been provided a bit more as his last sequence suggests he was willing to watch his son die at the hands of a mad cleric when the dispossession comes across as religious violence.
But … wow … Farahani truly delivers a centered performance, one that gives her ample opportunity to show her skills in big and small ways. She’s tender in one scene and then – as mothers can be – a bit detached in the next; but once her child’s life is on the line she quickly becomes the Holy Terror – with her own special bag of tricks – no one wants to face in a crisis like this. I’m honestly a bit flummoxed that I haven’t seen more of her, but her IMDB.com profile suggests she’s caught the attention of critics and audiences alike in her bid for stardom.
Still, Hood Witch’s biggest weakness is that it never quite commits to any pervasive vision when it comes to the central witchery. Perhaps Belktibia felt that showing Nour as a practitioner was good enough, or perhaps he didn’t really want to clarify for the purposes of this story whether or not any of her work accomplished anything. That’s most likely the case given the fact that his story really offers up challenging the belief of any system – witchcraft, religion, etc. – that would potentially inflict harm in the pursuit of doing good deeds, spiritual or otherwise. But there’s a closing exchange between mother and son than has the flair of jokiness that honestly left a bad taste in my mouth; and I think these two big characters deserved more than a kinda/sorta jest after all they’d been through.
Hood Witch (2023) was produced by Iconoclast, Lyly Films, France 2 Cinéma, Canal+, Ciné+, France Télévisions, and Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC). The film shows presently available for streaming via a variety of internet platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be exceptional from start-to-finish. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Since I viewed the film via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Recommended.
While interesting – perhaps for discussion’s sake – Hood Witch (2023) is ultimately a bit frustrating as its conclusion really fails to tie up all of the action and resulting chaos in any definitive way. Like those witches of old, the modern incarnation seems to be nothing more than an outcast with an odd fascination with deadly trivia; and Nour – as a character – perhaps deserved to be given a stronger epitaph than trying to trick her teenage son in the final reel. I suspect that was her way at thumbing her nose at the suggested religious convention – that of exorcising a possible demon – and kudos to her character for minimally staying true to her convictions.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at MPI Media Group provided me with complimentary streaming access to Hood Witch (2023) 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