Count Dracula – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/West Germany/Italy/Liechtenstein, 1970
Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Erich Kröhnke, Augusto Finocchi
Cast: Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Soledad Miranda, Maria Rohm, Fred Williams, Paul Muller, Jack Taylor, Jesús Franco

Release Date: November 28th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $69.95

"In 1970, cult director Jess Franco and screen legend Christopher Lee collaborated on what they promised would be the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel ever filmed. From its remarkable performances – including Lee as the Count, Herbert Lom (MARK OF THE DEVIL) as Van Helsing, Soledad Miranda (VAMPYROS LESBOS) as Lucy, Maria Rohm (VENUS IN FURS) as Mina, and authentic madman Klaus Kinski as Renfield – to its lush locations and atmosphere of sinister sensuality, it remains perhaps the most spellbinding version of Dracula in movie history." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "newly scanned in 4K".

Count Dracula comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.8 GB

Feature: 58.2 GB

The source used for this brand new 4K transfer is in excellent shape; all print debris has been cleaned up. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, this new transfer is a massive improvement over the transfer Severin Films used for their 2015 Blu-ray release.

Count Dracula comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.4 GB

Feature: 29.4 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source as the 4K UHD does for its transfer.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Spanish)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish. Unfortunately, in the case of the latter, there are no subtitles. The English-language track is in very good shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score sounds robust. That said, there are a few minor sibilance-related issues. Though the Spanish-language track is comparable, it sounds fuller than its English-language counterpart. Included are removable English SDH for the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 19 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with horror historian David Del Valle and actress Maria Rohm.

Extras on Blu-ray disc 1 include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 19 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an archival extra titled Stake Holders, an appreciation by filmmaker Christophe Gans (7 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jack Taylor (10 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Fred Williams titled Handsome Harker (26 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and German with removable English subtitles for German), an archival interview with director Jess Franco titled Beloved Count (26 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles), an archival extra titled Illustrated 1973 Christopher Lee Audio Interview With Filmmaker Donald Glut (19 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with David Del Valle and Maria Rohm.

Extras on Blu-ray disc 2 include alternate title sequences: Spanish (1 minute 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in Spanish, no subtitles), German (1 minute 36 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), French (1 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), and Italian (1 minute 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), In The Land of Franco bonus sequence with Alain Petit and Stephen Thrower (6 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author Stephen Thrower titled Jess Franco's Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula (45 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a 2017 documentary titled Dracula Barcelona (90 minutes 24 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include a CD with Bruno Nicolai’s 30-track score, an insert with a track listing for the CD, and a slipcover.

Summary:

From 1968 to 1970, this would mark one of Jess Franco’s most productive and fruitful eras as a filmmaker. During these years, he would work with British producer Harry Alan Towers, who would give Franco some of his biggest budgets of his career. The casts for most of these productions would feature some of the biggest names in European cinema at the time, like Klaus Kinski, Christopher Lee, and Herbert Lom. All three actors would also participate in Jess Franco’s retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Over the years, Dracula has been filmed many times. Despite the countless retellings, each version always had its own distinct take on the source material, and no matter what changes were made to the source, the end result is always like seeing an old friend you've seen hundreds of times.

By the time Jess Franco approached Christopher Lee about playing Dracula, his interest in playing this part, which had garnered him worldwide fame, had waned considerably. What changed Lee’s mind about playing Count Dracula one more time was how director Jess Franco wanted to approach the story and character the way Bram Stoker had written it.

Though Count Dracula lacks the abstract style that Jess Franco would later overuse in his subsequent films. Count Dracula still features some stellar photography and compositions, especially in the scenes where Dracula visits Lucy and drains her of her life and blood. The moments with Klaus Kinski rely heavily on his performance and not as much on the visual look of his surroundings.

Klaus Kinski does a remarkable job of playing Renfield that is on par with Dwight Frye’s memorable performance of the same character in Tod Browning’s 1931 version of Dracula. This cast is really good overall, with solid performances from Herbert Lom as Professor Van Helsing and Soledad Miranda in her first collaboration with Jess Franco as Lucy Westenra. Without a doubt, the performance that stands out is Christopher Lee's tour de force as Count Dracula. This time, Christopher Lee captures the essence of man, and the result is spellbinding.

Besides having a strong cast, Jess Franco also had at his disposal many of the sets and costumes that he had used or would use during his several collaborations with producer Harry Alan Towers. The score for this film was written by Bruno Nicolai, and his haunting arrangements perfectly complement Franco’s visual styles and moods. Ultimately, Jess Franco’s Count Dracula features one of Christopher Lee’s best performances of his career, which helps overcome the slower moments and familiarity that most will have with Bram Stoker’s original source material.

Jess Franco’s Count Dracula gets an exceptional release from Severin Films, highly recommended.

                                                            4K UHD screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Blue Rita: Special Edition – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Switzerland/France, 1977
Director: Jesús Franco
Writer: Jesús Franco
Cast: Martine Fléty, Sarah Strasberg, Dagmar Bürger, Pamela Stanford, Eric Falk, Esther Moser, Angela Ritschard, Vicky Mesmin, Guy Delorme, Olivier Mathot, Henri Guégan, Néné Kaò, Betty Laure, Roman Huber

Release Date: December 12th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 78 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"This lurid, sexually daring shocker follows the exploits of the titular heroine, Blue Rita (Marianne Flety), an exotic dancer and gentleman's club owner who secretly works undercover as a Communist spy. In the basement of the nightclub, Rita and her band of strippers seduce and erotically torture wealthy, important VIP's using a number of effective but unspeakably bizarre methods at her disposal to acquire vital information. Now an avowed lesbian who despises all men, Rita seeks revenge against the brutes that violated her as a child. However, Interpol begins closely observing the ghastly goings on within the club and soon discover the ulterior motives that its proprietors and Blue Rita herself have in mind." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "fully remastered in HD."

Blue Rita comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 18.2 GB

Feature: 15.9 GB

The source for this transfer is in great shape; all print debris has been cleaned up. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Blue Rita comes on a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 3.8 GB

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English with removable English SDH. It should be noted that the English SDH subtitles are only available on Blu-ray. This audio track is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background noise. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a photo gallery (stills/other promotional materials), a 2013 interview with filmmaker Peter Stickland conducted by Chris Alexander in which they discuss Jess Franco (24 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a vintage Jess Franco VHS trailer reel that contains these films: Oasis of the Zombies, Demoniac (Exorcism), A Virgin Among the Living Dead, Erotikil (Female Vampire), The Screaming Dead (Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein), and The Invisible Dead (Orloff and the Invisible Man).

Other extras on the Blu-ray are trailers for Barbed Wire Dolls, Naked Girl Murdered in the Park, Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun, Sexy Sisters, Voodoo Passion, and Women in Cellblock 9.

Extras on the DVD include two unrelated Full Moon Feature promos, an interview with actor  Eric Falk titled Slave in the House of Women (7 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with burnt in English subtitles), and a vintage Jess Franco VHS trailer reel that contains these films: Oasis of the Zombies, Demoniac (Exorcism), A Virgin Among the Living Dead, Erotikil (Female Vampire), The Screaming Dead (Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein), and The Invisible Dead (Orloff and the Invisible Man).

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

Blue Rite was one of eighteen films that Jess Franco made with producer Erwin Dietrich over a three-year period. Their collaboration began with Downtown and ended with Girls After Midnight.

The narrative revolves around Blue Rita, who runs a criminal organization that tortures wealthy men for their fortune.

When discussing the cinema of Jess Franco, one thing that you quickly notice are the locations that he uses. And when it comes to locations, no location played a larger role than the nightclub. The opening moments of Blue Rita take place in a nightclub, where the dancers strip down to their birthday suits. Besides being a place where men find pleasure, it also serves as the headquarters of Blue Rita’s criminal operation.

With Blue Rita, Jess Franco once again takes a bare narrative and somehow manages to keep things interesting for the duration. Once again, his unique visual eye is a key element that holds everything together. And though some of his camera angles are odd choices, they somehow suit the story at hand. Another strength of the visuals is how Jess Franco employs shots that are bathed in one color, blue, red, or yellow.

Though Jess Franco films are known for their cast of regulars who often work with him, like Lina Romay (she does not appear as Blue Rita), even Jess Franco, who often makes a cameo, does not make an appearance. That said, Blue Rita is mostly made up of actors and actresses who are more connected to Erwin Dietrich than Jess Franco. The most memorable performances are Olivier Mathot (Midnight Party) in the role of Sebascki, a sex-starved spy being held prisoner in Blue Rita’s dungeon, and Eric Falk (Mad Foxes) in the role of Janosch Lassard, a boxer who is well versed in karate.

Blue Rita, like the other films produced by Erwin Dietrich, gave Jess Franco more resources than he usually had to work with, especially when compared to films he made with his own money. Being that this is a Jess Franco film, it is not surprising that there is an ample amount of nudity and some soft-core erotica moments. That said, Jess Franco’s films, especially his 1970s output, have a freeform quality to them that anyone who is looking for conventional cinema will find his type of cinema difficult to digest. Ultimately, Blue Rita is a satisfying mix of erotica and psychedelia that could have only come from the mind of Jess Franco.

Blue Rita gets a first-rate release from Full Moon Features that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Jailhouse Wardress – MVD Classics (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1981
Directors: Alain Deruelle, Jesús Franco, Patrice Rhomm, Alain Payet
Writer: Alain Deruelle
Cast: Didier Aubriot, Eugénie Laborde, Michael Bates, Monica Swinn

Release Date: December 12th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English, LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $19.95

"One of the most notorious "women in prison" epics, this Jess Franco production stars Lina Romay (Female Vampire) as Maria da Guerra, who's sentenced to life after killing her father, who had attempted to assault her. While behind bars, Maria encounters a sadistic female warden and hatches an escape plan involving the seduction of a male nurse." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5

Jailhouse Wardress comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 20.9 GB

Feature: 20.5 GB

No information is provided about the source used for this transfer. This transfer most definitely comes from a dated source; there is mild print debris that crops up throughout, colors fluctuate throughout, black levels are never convincing, and image clarity fares well. Also, this does not appear to be an open matte presentation; there are many times where the framing looks too tight.

Audio: 3/5 (LPCM Mono English, LPCM Mono French)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in English and an LPCM mono mix in French. Both audio tracks are in good shape; any imperfections are minor. Dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, these tracks are satisfactory. Included are removable English subtitles for the French-language track. 

Extras:

Extras for this release are trailers for Jailhouse Wardress (51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Convoy of Women, Nathalie: Escape from Hell, Golden Temple Amazons, and Hudson River Massacre.

Summary:

Throughout his career, Jess Franco was known to repurpose footage from other films and make a new film with said repurposed footage. And though this is exactly what happened with Jailhouse Wardress, it repurposes footage from three films: Elsa Fraulein SS, Last Train for Hitler, and Barbed Wire Dolls. And in the case of the latter, most of the repurposed footage comes from Jailhouse Wardress, which is most likely why Jailhouse Wardress is the reason for the Jess Frsanco connection. Also, besides repurposing footage, dialog was newly created to fit the newly created narrative that ties these three films with the newly shot footage.

Trying not to negatively judge a film like Jailhouse Wardress is not an easy task. Its melting pot narrative is incoherent despite the changes made in the newly created dialog, and the edits between the various footage that is used are very noticeable and, at times, jarring. Also, trying to judge performances when most of the cast members who appear were performing in a different film would be futile. That said, everything about Jailhouse Wardress does not work; it is a crudely put-together film that was clearly made to capitalize on Nazi propaganda films.

Jailhouse Wardress gets a mediocre audio/video presentation from MVD Classics.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Lost – Ronin Flix (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2006
Director: Chris Sivertson
Writer: Chris Sivertson
Cast: Marc Senter, Shay Astar, Alex Frost, Megan Henning, Robin Sydney, Michael Bowen, Ed Lauter, Dee Wallace, Erin Brown, Ruby Larocca, Tom Ayers, Tony Carreiro, Katie Cassidy

Release Date: December 12th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"19-year-old Ray Pye (Marc Senter) is a black-clad suburban sociopath who meets his match when a new girl with a taste for the dark side, Katherine Wallace (Robin Sydney), arrives in town. Together, they are a dangerous couple whose deadly games lead to a horrific and shocking climax." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 2K remaster produced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative completed by Ronin Flix."

The Lost comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.2 GB

Feature: 36.4 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks are in excellent shape. Dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are removable English SDHs.

Extras:

Extras for this release include original Jack and Jill short film directed by Chris Sivertson (2 minutes 6 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), storyboard sequence (3 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from The Lost playing in the background), outtakes (16 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from The Lost playing in the background), audition tapes (6 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with music from The Lost playing in the background), an interview with actress Shay Astar (20 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Robin Sydney (19 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Marc Senter (11 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with director Chris Sivertson and producer Lucky McKee, an audio commentary with author Jack Ketchum moderated by writer Monica O’Rourke, and a slipcover (initial pressing only).

Summary:

Directed by Chris Sivertson, who is most known for directing All Cheerleaders Die and I Know Who Killed Me. The screenplay was adapted from Jack Ketchum’s (The Girl Next Door, The Woman) novel of the same name.

The narrative revolves around a sociopath and his two friends, who witnessed him kill two girls. Flash forward: four years later, the events of that night continue to haunt his two friends while the sociopath struggles to control his rage.

Though The Lost has all of the elements that one expects from a revenge-themed film, After a strong opening that does a great job setting the stage for what follows, at just under two hours, there are many moments where the narrative drags. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to scenes where a sociopath and his two friends interact. Many of these moments go on a few beats longer than they should, and by drawing these moments out, they do little to enhance the story at hand.

The most surprising aspect of The Lost are the performances, especially by Marc Senter (The Devil’s Carnival) in the role of Ray Pye, a sociopath cut from the same mold as Norman Bates. There are a few elements in The Lost that feel like a direct nod to Psycho, notably an overbearing mother character, and Ray also works at a motel like Norman. That said, he delivers a memorable performance that perfectly captures his character's inability to curb his violent impulses. When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are very good at their roles.

From a production standpoint, The Lost does a very good job maximizing its resources. Also, trying to adapt a novel into a film can be a tricky proposition. In the case of The Lost, it is a faithful adaptation of Jack Ketchum’s novel. That said, though, The Lost has just as many positives as there are negatives. Fortunately, when it comes to truly disturbing moments like a brutal double murder that opens and a massacre that closes the film, this is where The Lost delivers in spades. Ultimately, The Lost is an overlong film that would have benefited from tighter editing.

The Lost gets an excellent release from Ronin Flix that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Hail Caesar – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1994
Director: Anthony Michael Hall
Writer: Bob Mittenthal
Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Bobbie Phillips, Leslie Danon, Nicholas Pryor, Kane Picoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Ilia Volok, Robert Downey Jr., Frank Gorshin, Grant Cramer, Judd Nelson, Robert Downey Sr.

Release Date: December 12th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 18 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $19.95

"Julius Caesar MacGruder (Anthony Michael Hall, Sixteen Candles), the outrageous lead singer of ''Hail Caesar'', a rock 'n' roll band, wants it all... fame, fortune, beautiful girls and a recording contract from Easy Street Records (fronted by Robert Downey Jr., The Avengers). There's only one problem, Julius isn't a rock star but a worker at a pencil eraser factory run by the notorious Mr. Bidwell (Nicholas Pryor, Risky Business). And with his dreams seemingly out of his grasp he falls in love with the boss's daughter Buffer (Bobbie Phillips, Showgirls) against her father's wishes. In order to curry favor with him Julius makes a bet with the old man... if he comes up with $100,000 in six months, Mr. Bidwell must let them be together. Can Julius make the money, make it big AND get the girl?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Hail Caesar comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.2 GB

Feature: 20.4 GB

No information is provided about this transfer source. That said, it looks like it comes from a dated source. There are moments where the image looks soft and there appears to be some digital filtering. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, black levels fare well, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this track does a good job with ambient sounds, and the soundtrack sounds appropriately robust. It should be noted that there are issues with the subtitles going out of sync. Two examples occur at the 36-minute, 20-second mark and the 63-minute, 10-second mark.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a trailer for Hail Caesar (2 minutes 15 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), collectible mini-poster, and a slipcover (first pressing only).

Other extras include trailers for Men at Work, Joysticks, and Delirious.

Summary:

Hail Caesar is the directorial debut of Anthony Michael Hall (Weird Science), and to date, it is the only feature film that he has directed.

The narrative revolves around a wannabe rock star named Julius Caesar, who takes a bet with his girlfriend's wealthy father, who wants him out of his daughter's life.

Hail Caesar is a movie that usually evokes two responses from those who watch it. Those who embrace its irreverent humor are sure to enjoy it, while everyone else is going to loathe it. That said, most audience members seem to fall into the latter category.

The most impressive aspect of Hail Caesar is the cast they were able to get. Anthony Michael Hall, in the role of Julius Caesar, a slacker who dreams of being a rock star, anchors the cast. Anyone familiar with Anthony Michael Hall knows how well-versed he is when it comes to comedy. And though he does a good job with the material he has to work with, the result is not among his stronger, more memorable performances.

Besides Anthony Michael Hall, the other two performances of note are Bobbie Phillips (Showgirls) in the role of Buffer, Julius’ girlfriend, and Leslie Danon (Whatever It Takes) in the role of Annie; she’s part of Julius’ band. These two characters are vying for Julius’ affection.

Also, there are several well-known cameos, like Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) in the role of a mailman who is constantly attacked by Julius’ dog; Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club) in the role of a prison inmate; Frank Gorshin (Batman TV Series) in the role of the manager of a glue factory where Julius gets a job; and Robert Downey Jr. (Less Than Zero) in the role of a mailroom clerk who pretends to be a record company executive.

Based solely on premise, Hail Caesar brings nothing new to the table. And when it comes to the narrative, there are real surprises, with everything leading towards a predictable ending. Also, being that Hail Caesar is comedy, when it comes to humor, unfortunately, things do not always hit the mark. That said, Hail Caesar only works as well as it does because of its cast, who all give enthusiastic performances.

Hail Caesar gets a good audio/video presentation from the MVD Rewind Collection.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Kill Butterfly Kill – Neon Eagle Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Taiwan, 1982 (Underground Wife), Hong Kong, 1987 (American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill)
Directors: Hsu Yu-Lung (Underground Wife), Godfrey Ho (American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill)
Cast: Juliet Chen Li-Yun, Ma Sha, Paul Chang Chung, Chuan Yuan, Tseng Chao, Chan Sing, Chen Hung-Lieh, Chien Te-Men, Lan Yun, Kao Chen-Peng, Chiang Ta-Chuan (Underground Wife), Mike Abbott, Timo Alandes, Juliet Chen Li-Yun, Peter Emmette, Kenneth Finch, Frank Juhas, Ma Sha, Mark Miller, Roger Webb (American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill)

Release Date: December 12th, 2023
Approximate running times: 87 Minutes 2 Seconds (Underground Wife), 88 Minutes 19 Seconds (American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.95

"Years after being assaulted, a young woman (Juliet Chan) seeks bloody revenge on the five men responsible. She is aided by a retired hitman sympathetic to her plight ("Tattooer Ma" Sha) and a group of like-minded girlfriends. One by one, each of the creeps are caught in a trap and done away with, but her final quarry has a few tricks up his sleeve, leading to a violent climactic confrontation." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5 (Underground Wife), 4/5 (American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill)

Here’s the information provided about Underground Wife's transfer, "Presented here in a new 4K restoration from the best surviving elements is the export English language cut of the film prepared by the notorious IFD Films."

Underground Wife comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.7 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB (Underground Wife), 9.2 GB (Underground Wife alternate version in standard definition)

The source used for this version's transfer has noticeable source-related damage that varies in degree throughout. Some of the sources of damage are emulsion stains and print debris. That said, despite there being some color fluctuation, colors generally look good. Also, though there are moments where the image looks soft, image clarity generally looks very good. Despite there being source-related limitations, Neon Eagle Video has done a great job with this transfer, and it is most likely the best this film will ever look.

Here’s the information provided about American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill's transfer, "from a 4K scan of the OCN."

American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.6 GB

Feature: 23.5 GB

The source used for this version fares better; the newly shot scenes are in great shape, while the scenes that are taken from the Underground Wife version are on par with that version’s transfer.

Audio: 3.5/5

Each version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, there are some sibilance issues, and range-wise, things are limited.

Extras:

Extras on Blu-ray disc 1 include an image gallery (posters/stills/home video art/lobby cards), a theatrical trailer for Unground Wife aka Kill Butterfly Kill (2 minutes 35 seconds, an audio commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Paul Fox of the Podcast on Fire Network, and an alternate Underground Wife cut (85 minutes 42 seconds, 4:3 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt in English and Cantonese subtitles).

Extras on Blu-ray disc 2 include a theatrical trailer American Commando 6: Kill Butterfly Kill (2 minutes 14 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), and a IFD trailer compilation in standard definition (31 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

The trailers are American Commando 2: Hunting Express, American Commando 3: Savage Temptation,  American Commando 4: Dressed to Fire, American Commando 5: Fury in Red, American Commando 6: Kill Butterfly Kill, American Commando 7: Sweet Inferno, American Commando 8: Naked Revenge, American Commando 9: Guns to Heaven, Angel’s Blood Mission, Final Mission Final, Die to Love, Guns to Heaven, and Sweet Inferno.

Other extras include reversible cover art.

Summary:

Kill Butterfly Kill, aka Underground Wife, is a ‘black movie' and an exploitation sub-genre in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Though these films were often socially conscious, they were cheaply made films that never shied away from exploitation elements.

Kill Butterfly Kill is a tale of two movies. One version is a rape/revenge exploitation film, while the other version is a straight-up action film. That said, trying to take one film and mix it in with newly shot footage to make a completely different film is not as easy as it sounds.

No matter which version you watch, they are all not without their shortcomings. Though the version titled Underground Wife is clearly the stronger of these two versions, there are times when the narrative drags. Fortunately, there are far more areas where Underground Wife works, notably when it comes to moments where characters exact their revenge and the rape scene that sets the story that unfolds in motion.

Then there is American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill, an action film that is a real head-scraper. Despite Hong Kong being known for making great action films, American Commando 4: Kill Butterfly Kill is not one of them. The premise is uninspired, the narrative lacks momentum, and the ending is predictable. Also, when it comes to the action sequences, they are below the quality that one has come to expect from Hong Kong action films.

Kill Butterfly Kill gets a solid release from Neon Eagle Video that comes with three versions of the film and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer