Nothing Underneath - Rustblade (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1985
Director: Carlo Vanzina
Writers: Enrico Vanzina, Carlo Vanzina, Franco Ferrini
Cast: Tom Schanley, Renée Simonsen, Nicola Perring, Maria McDonald, Catherine Noyes, Paolo Tomei, Sonia Raule

Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 10 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Italian, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH, Italian, Spanish, German
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $26.95

"A killer is roaming the streets of Milan, using scissors to murder top models. A U.S. Park Ranger arrives in the city to protect his twin sister, only to realize she has disappeared." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Nothing Underneath comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29.5 GB

Feature: 23 GB

No information is provided about this transfer's source; that said, it looks similar to Vinegar Syndrome’s 2021 Blu-ray release. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look correct, image clarity and black levels look solid throughout, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo English), 3/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo Italian)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD stereo mix in Italian. The stronger of these two audio tracks is the DTS-HD stereo English track, which is superior in every way. The DTS-HD stereo English track sounds fuller and more dynamic than the Dolby Digital stereo Italian track, which sounds flat. The English subtitles are actually English SDH, and they translate the English language track. Other subtitles include Italian, Spanish, and German; all subtitles are removable.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an stills gallery with music from the film, Italian-language theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian, no subtitles), English-language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), English-language opening and closing credits (5 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an in-depth analysis of Nothing Underneath by Francesco Lomuscio (7 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Pino Donaggio (4 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with screenwriter Enrico Vanzina (21 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

It's difficult not to acknowledge Dario Argento’s influence when discussing the Giallo genre. And though the Gialli made during the 1970s bear a strong resemblance to the foundation laid by Dario Argento, his influence over Italian thrillers would be eclipsed by other filmmakers like Brian De Palma in the 1980s; case in point: Nothing Underneath.

Immediately, Nothing Underneath boldly wears its cinematic influences. Its premise has many striking similarities to Brian De Palma’s Body Double and other films directed by him. Another Brian De Palma connection is its score, which was composed by Pino Donaggio (who also composed Body Double’s score). In fact, the main music motif in Nothing Underneath is a slight variation of the song Telescope from Body Double. That said, there are an ample number of moments in Nothing Underneath that will have you feeling déjà vu.

Being that Nothing Underneath is a story that takes place in the world of fashion, it's not surprising how colorful the clothing and locations are. The look of Nothing Underneath has a pastel color scheme that’s synonymous with 1980s cinema. And of course, there’s an abundance of beautiful women scantily dressed/undressed.

From a production standpoint, Nothing Underneath is a slickly put-together film. The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does an excellent job of balancing mundane moments with stylish sequences where the killer strikes. Besides Pino Donaggio’s fabulous score, Nothing Underneath also features pop music like Murray Head's One Night in Bangkok and Gloria Gaynor's I Am What I Am. The performances suit the story at hand. The most memorable performance was by Renée Simonsen in the role of a model named Barbara. Ultimately, Nothing Underneath is one of the better 1980s Gialli not directed by Dario Argento.

This release's packaging is bilingual, in English and Italian. Nothing Underneath gets a first-rate release from Rustblade that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative interviews. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Hardbodies - Mill Creek Entertainment (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1984
Director: Mark Griffiths
Writers: Steve Greene, Eric Alter, Mark Griffiths
Cast: Grant Cramer, Teal Roberts, Gary Wood, Darcy DeMoss, Michael Rapport, Sorrells Pickard, Roberta Collins, Cindy Silver, Courtney Gains, Kristi Somers, Crystal Shaw Martell, Antony Ponzini, Kathleen Kinmont

Release Date: January 15th, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $14.98

"There's lots of naughty fun in the sun in this zany and sexy romp. Three divorced, middle-aged businessmen (Gary Wood, Sorrells Pickard, Michael Rapport) take to the beach in an effort to meet some hot, bikini-clad babes. But when they realize the ladies aren't exactly lining up for them, they hire a slick young con man (Grant Cramer) to school them in the finer points of scoring with women." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2.5/5

Hardbodies comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.7 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB

Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is strong, and black levels are serviceable; there are compression and digital noise reduction-related issues.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though the audio sounds clear and balanced, range-wise there is no depth.

Extras:

Extras are limited to O-Card retro VHS packaging.

I had the opportunity to interview Mark Griffiths in 2009, and here is what he shared about Hardbodies.

Michael Den Boer: How did Hardbodies come about?

Mark Griffiths: We made Hardbodies on a shoestring and never expected it to be released widely (1900 theaters) by Columbia Pictures. Jeff Begun was brought onto the film.

Michael Den Boer: Casting-wise, I can’t imagine anyone else in the role of Rag. What was it like to work with Courtney Gains in one of his first feature films?

Mark Griffiths: I had known Courtney for three years before we made HB—he was in an acting class that I visited to redirect scenes. That’s also where I met Sorrells. I precast both of them, knowing their work and range.

Michael Den Boer: Besides the two colorful lead characters, Scotty and Rag. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Hardbodies is its clever dialog. Was the dialog in the film as it appeared in the screenplay, or was any of it ad-libbed?

Mark Griffiths: I told Court about the scene in HB where he flips off the geeks and asked him to come up with a routine of flip-offs from around the world. While he was off filming Children of the Corn, he worked it out. Most of the lines in the film were scripted, but we did improv where necessary. It helped that I knew Court and Sorrells—I tailored their lines to what I knew they could pull off.

Michael Den Boer: Hardbodies was originally intended to be a movie made specifically for Playboy TV. After working with New Line Cinema on Lucky 13 were you ever apprehensive about working with Columbia Pictures, another major studio, again?

Mark Griffiths: Since both Lucky 13 and HB were pick-ups, I never actually worked for either New Line or Columbia, except in re-cuts after previews (in the case of Columbia). The deal in place with Playboy TV was bought out when Columbia came on board.

Michael Den Boer: The rock band Vixen makes an appearance in Hardbodies, and they also appear on the soundtrack for the film. How did they become involved in the film?

Mark Griffiths: Vixen was a band that our music supervisor found. They hadn’t had any hits, although we used songs off their album as playback to film scenes too.

Michael Den Boer: Looking back on Hardbodies, is there anything that you would have done differently?

Mark Griffiths: Looking back at Hardbodies, I can’t imagine doing anything differently—it’s all too far in the past to linger over.

Michael Den Boer: When originally released, was Hardbodies successful?

Mark Griffiths: The original release of HB did all right. It really hit the big time on home video and cable. It was early in the video boom and sold very solidly.

Michael Den Boer: Are there any plans for a DVD release for Hardbodies anytime in the near future?

Mark Griffiths: As far as I know, there are no plans for Columbia, who owns the film, to release it on DVD—although I suspect it would still do well.

Michael Den Boer: After Hardbodies, did you intend on making a sequel?

Mark Griffiths: I hadn’t intended to make a sequel to HB, but that’s where typecasting comes in, even for directors. I was suddenly seen as a “beach-movie director” and couldn’t get anything else going—so when the offer came to make a sequel, I took it.

Michael Den Boer: In Hardbodies 2, all but two of the original cast were recast. Was there some hesitation in making a sequel with new actors in familiar roles?

Mark Griffiths: HB2 was shot in Greece, and if nothing else, we all had a ball filming it—although it is one of my least favorite films. Grant Cramer, the original Scotty, didn’t want to be typecast and turned them down for the sequel. Courtney wanted to do it but had problems getting a passport and couldn’t get over in time for the shoot. Courtney is an original, and there was no way to find someone to fill his role, so we went with someone entirely different.

Michael Den Boer: You have worked with Sorrells Pickard in a total of four films: Lucky 13, Hardbodies, Hardbodies 2 and Ultraviolet. What do you remember most about working with Sorrell?

Mark Griffiths: Working with Sorrells was always filled with laughs. He was a fun, lovable, big-hearted Southern songwriter/performer. He could pull off lines that nobody else could touch. Bring a laugh to almost any situation. He died several years ago, and I miss him. He had Great Spirit and was always totally cooperative.

Summary:

Three wealthy businessmen, while on vacation in California, are tricked into renting a beach house by a local stud named Scotty. He convinces them that, with his help, he can get the older men laid by the finest girls on the beach.

There are two kinds of teen movies that emerged during the 1980s: ones that were edgy yet never vulgar, like the John Hughes films A Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and then there were the films that were downright raunchy and focused heavily on sex, like Porky’s and Hardbodies. The later film Hardbodies was directed by Mark Griffiths, a relative newcomer who had only one film under his belt before directing Hardbodies.

Though Hardbodies has plenty of eye candy, it really shines the most in its screenplay, which was also co-written by Griffiths. Hardbodies is filled with solid one-liners, like a scene where Hunter asks a hot chick if she wants to do something and she replies, “I don’t fuck fossils for free.” The situations that unfold as the story progresses include a scene where a character named Rounder pretends to be a fashion photographer. He photographs various beautiful women who are eager to take things to the next level by undressing to impress him. The scene's humor lies not in the willingness of these attractive women but in the fact that Rounder's camera still has its lens cover on. None of the girls realize this, nor do they notice that he never reloads his film.

Surprisingly, all the male characters except for Hunter don’t come off as perverts, and one is able to feel some sympathy for most of them. Hunter is the king of leeches, as he uses everyone he comes in contact with, and when he is done with them, he then discards them. Look out for the all-girl metal group Vixen, who are essentially playing themselves in this film; only they have an absurd band name, “Diaper Rash.” The music they perform shows signs of what was to come from these ladies, with tracks like "Computer Madness" and "Give It a Chance" being prominently played throughout.

While the acting is not particularly impressive, it serves its purpose, with the two main characters, Scotty and Rag, portrayed by Grant Cramer and Courtney Gains, delivering performances that often surpass the film's modest ambitions. Grant Cramer, who has kept busy since making Hardbodies, is most known for Killer Klowns from Outer Space. He delivers the performance of his career as Scotty Palmer, and in the years since Hardbodies, he has failed to capture so brilliantly the essence of any character he has since played. 

No one played the sidekick better than Courtney Gains (Can’t Buy Me Love) in the 1980s. He is hilarious as Rag, who is blessed with the skill of flipping someone in forty-five different languages. Ultimately, what makes Hardbodies so enjoyable is its straightforwardness; it never pretends to be anything more than an irreverent comedy filled with plenty of T&A.

Mill Creek Entertainment gives Hardbodies a lackluster audio/video presentation that is in line with their other home media releases.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Naked Came the Stranger – Mélusine (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1975
Director: Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris")
Writer: Radley Metzger (as "Jake Barnes")
Cast: Darby Lloyd Rains, Levi Richards, Mary Stuart, Alan Marlow, Christina Hutton, Kevin Andre, Helen Madigan, Ronda Fuller, Rita Davis, Steve Anthony, Alfie Holliday, Tom Dane, David Savage, John Buco, Gerald Grant, Marc Stevens

Release Date: May 27th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 83 Minutes 23 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $52.98

"Billy and Gilly host New York’s most provocative and successful morning talk show. But their lascivious on-the-air personas are masking a far less than voracious home-sex life. Everything comes to a head when Gilly discovers that her seemingly faithful husband is carrying on with his “Love Bunny” Phyllis. At first hurt by his infidelity, Gilly quickly decides that she too ought to expand her sexual horizons and, with that in mind, begins an over-the-top game of seduction as she beds each of her and Billy’s high society friends." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned and restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Naked Came the Stranger comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.6 GB

Feature: 60.8 GB

Naked Came the Stranger was shot on super 16mm and blown up to 35mm for theatrical exhibition. The source looks excellent; any debris is minor. An example of source debris can be seen in screenshot #7. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, black levels, contrast, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Naked Came the Stranger comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 24.1 GB (Hardcore Version), 19.8 GB (Softcore Version)

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, better than it ever has. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise the score and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters/advertisements/archival reviews), 4 radio spots (1 minute 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an alternate softcore version of Naked Came the Stranger (84 minutes 10 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono English with removable English SDH), and an archival audio commentary with director Radley Metzger, moderated by Ashley West of The Rialto Report.

Other extras include reversible cover art (inside cover art features four original posters), a gold foil magnet clasp slipcase + slipcover set (limited to 4,000 units), and a 48-page booklet with liner notes titled Naked Came the Stranger written by Ashley West.

Summary:

Billy and Gilly, a husband-and-wife radio duo, host a hugely popular radio sex talk show. Their marriage, on the surface, appears to be perfect, while underneath the duo are having affairs. How long will it take before their affairs disrupt their on-air chemistry?

When I first saw Naked Came the Stranger, I was not that impressed with it. And to be fair, I did not watch the film in the most ideal of ways. The version I watched was missing almost eleven minutes of film (which amounts to 1/8 of its intended running time). You can see the film in all its glory thanks to this new release from Distribpix.

Newsweek journalists, working under the pseudonym Penelope Ashe, wrote the novel "Naked Came the Stranger" in the late 1960s. Radley Metzger, for his follow-up to The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann, decided to go a completely different route with his second hardcore film. Naked Came the Stranger is a film that relies heavily on the style of comedy known as screwball, which was most popular during the depression era.

Though I am a huge fan of the screwball style of comedy, I was initially not impressed with how it's used in Naked Came the Stranger. Upon subsequent viewings of Naked Came the Stranger, the comedic set pieces finally connected with me. Two of the more notable moments of humor include the many times in which Billy and his secretary rush off into town at the end of each radio session and meet up for a sexual rendezvous. The other moment that stands out is when the film’s main protagonist, Gilly, dances in an empty pool while dressed in a tuxedo.

Besides the aforementioned comedic flourishes, another area where Naked Came the Stranger holds up really well is its stylish cinematography, notably a black & white sequence that pays tribute to silent films. Also, the music always plays an important part in every Henry Paris film, and the score for Naked Came the Stranger does a superb job reinforcing the mood.

All around, the acting is outstanding, especially Darby Lloyd Rains, who portrays Gilly. Her comedic timing and onscreen chemistry with Levi Richards are Naked Came the Stranger’s greatest assets. That said, though none of the other cast stand out, their performances suit the story that unfolds.

Radley Metzger’s growth from each hardcore film is remarkable, especially when you factor in that he never repeated himself. Though his early forays into hardcore lack the heat of his later films, he still manages to craft some scenes that are better than most of his peers. Some notable moments include a scene with Gilly and sex toys and another scene where Gilly performs fellatio on a two-tier bus.

Once again, Radley Metzger puts together a narrative that finds a perfect balance between exposition and sex scenes. The two protagonists and her husband's infidelities are the narrative's driving force. Besides humor, screwball comedy's influence can be felt in Naked Came the Stranger’s pacing. Ultimately, Naked Came the Stranger is an exemplary example of adult cinema’s golden age.

Mélusine gives Naked Came the Stranger a definitive release, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1973
Director: Teruo Ishii
Writers: San Kaji, Kazuo Koike, Goseki Kojima
Cast: Tetsurô Tanba, Gorô Ibuki, Tatsuo Endô, Ryôhei Uchida, Yuriko Hishimi, Keiko Aikawa, Rena Ichinose, Shôki Fukae

Release Date: July 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 81 Minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.99

"The legendary actor Tetsuro Tanba stars as Shiro, a master swordsman who is weary of the world of samurai honor and samurai killing, and so attempts suicide rather than finishing a fight. He is saved by the Bohachi clan, a gang of pimps who have forsaken all honor and whose cynicism outruns even his own. But ultimately, he even tires of their nihilistic worldview, leading to a final showdown in the snow ...." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 4K restoration from the original negative."

Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.6 GB

Feature: 22.3 GB

The source looks excellent; that said, there are a few instances that are not as strong. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look great, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival introduction with Pinky Violence expert J-Taro Sugisaku, Cult movie director Takao Nakano and Yoshiki Hayashi (42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Yoshiki Hayashi titled What is Pinky Violence? (15 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Yuriko Hishimi (21 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an interview with Shinya Tsukamoto about Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight and the career of Teruo Ishii (17 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival audio commentary with J-Taro Sugisaku, Takao Nakano and Yoshiki Hayashi, and an audio commentary with Japanese film expert and author Tom Mes.

Summary:

Teruo Ishii directed Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight. His other notable films include Shogun’s Joys of Torture, Inferno of Torture, Orgies of Edo, Horrors of Malformed Men, The Blind Woman’s Curse, and The Executioner. Bohachi Bushido: Clan of the Forgotten Eight was adapted from a manga written by Kazuo Koike, who also created these series: Hanzo the Razor, Lady Snowblood, and Lone Wolf & Cub.

Shiro is a wanted assassin who is tired of being chased by the law and sees suicide as his only way out. His attempt at suicide is foiled when he is rescued and brought back to health by members of a clan known as the Bohachi. Shiro agrees to help the Bohachi dispose of their enemies; in return, they will provide him sanctuary from the law. Can Shiro trust the Bohachi to uphold their end of the bargain, or will they cut him loose after he serves his purpose?

Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight stylish openings do a phenomenal job drawing you in. The protagonist, while crossing a bridge, finds himself surrounded by four assassins who are soon joined by additional men. Although he manages to dispose of many of them, he realizes the odds are insurmountable and decides to jump off the bridge into the river below. The carnage in this sequence, like those that follow, are geysers of blood and severed limbs. There is a surreal quality to this sequence that continues throughout.

“To die is hell, but to live, is also hell” are words spoken by the protagonist throughout. He is a man with no regard for life; he is willing to sacrifice his own at any moment. The narrative revolves around his dealings with a clan known as Bohachi, who have removed servitude, loyalty, trust, propriety, justice, conscience, shame, and religion from their code of honor. The Bohachi subjugate women, forcing them into submissive sexual slavery and risking their lives to serve their masters. The remaining characters consist of rival clans and corrupt government officials.

All around, the cast are excellent, especially Tetsuro Tamba (Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs) in the role of Shiro. Another performance of note is Yuriko Hishimi, who portrays Oman, one of the Bohachi women who are assigned to help protect Shiro while he kills all their enemies. The Bohachi women's loyalty is perfectly encapsulated in a scene where Shiro is surrounded by a ring of fire. They roll around until the fire is put out, then they remove their clothes and continue to fight in the nude.

Visually, Teruo Ishii has a knack for creating some of the most fantastically perverse set pieces that are equally brutal and laced with sex. There is plenty of nudity, including sword and hand-to-hand fighting by the female cast. Don’t let their beauty fool you; they are equally, if not more, dangerous than their male counterparts. In the most memorable scene the protagonist is drugged, and an orgy of carnage erupts when his enemies try to take advantage of the situation. Though all of the flight sequences are exemplary; the best is saved for the finale. Ultimately, Bohachi Bushido: Clan of the Forgotten Eight is one of the most remarkable and unforgettable films to emerge from Toei’s Pinky Violence cinema cycle.

Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight gets an excellent release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1971
Director: Bruno Gantillon
Writers: Jacques Chaumelle, Bruno Gantillon
Cast: Dominique Delpierre, Alfred Baillou, Mireille Saunin, Régine Motte, Ursule Pauly, Michèle Perello, Nathalie Chaine, Velly Beguard, Solange Pradel, Patricia Lecarpentier, Pamela Stanford

Release Date: July 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 29 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.99

"Driving in their car through Auvergne one summer, two young girls, Anna and Françoise, find themselves in the kingdom of the mythic Morgana, Queen of the Fairies.

Ever since Merlin taught her his skills centuries ago, Morgana has gone on living by obtaining the souls of the young women who pass through her kingdom. In exchange, she gives the captives who agree to her pact of eternal youth and beauty. Those who refuse her grow old and ugly in the dungeons of her castle." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 4K restoration from the original negative."

Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.4 GB

Feature: 23.5 GB

The source looks phenomenal; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include  include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a stills and poster gallery titled Publicity Parade, a short film directed by Bruno Gantillon titled An Artistic Couple (13 minutes 12 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a deleted scene (48 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, no dialog), an archival interview with Bruno Gantillon (10 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Bruno Gantillon titled Holds up the Ceiling Part 1 (26 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with Bruno Gantillon titled Holds up the Ceiling Part 2 (16 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Dominique Delpierre (45 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Bruno Gantillon.

Summary:

Two women stay the night in an abandoned barn after getting lost while traveling the French countryside. In the morning, one of them awakens to the discovery that the other has vanished. While looking for her missing friend, she is confronted by the dwarf-like man she saw in the pub the evening before, who says he can lead her to her friend. He takes her to a castle filled with beautiful women, where she is introduced to Morgana Le Fay, the lady of the manor, who ultimately gives her two choices: either eternal beauty or forever being enslaved in the castle's dungeon, where she will grow old and die.

Bruno Gantillon’s directorial debut, Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay, is a film that fits firmly into the fantastic cinema movement of 1970s French cinema that filmmakers like Jean Rollin, Jean-Louis Van Belle, and Claude Mulot’s The Blood Rose are part of. These films often feature a loose narrative, and they flow more like poetry than a conventional narrative. They rely heavily on atmosphere, and they are filled with visually arresting moments. When it comes to all of these elements, Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay delivers in every way.

Though the cast are given minimal work, this is not an issue since they are mere pieces moved around for maximum effect by Bruno Gantillon. It also does not hurt that the cast is mostly filled with beautiful women, many of whom participate in lesbian encounters and remove clothing. The strongest performance is Dominique Delpierre; her strong screen presence makes her the perfect choice for the role of a sorceress named Morgana Le Fay. The most memorable performance is Alfred Baillou, who portrays a dwarf named Gurth; he delivers a genuinely creepy performance where he leers and takes delight when women are tortured.

Despite its minimalism, Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay, like other 1970s French fantastic cinema, is a film that maximizes its limited resources, notably the use of a castle as its main location and moments in a forest. It is not difficult to overlook the narrative's shortcomings because of the beautiful cinematography and dreamlike atmosphere. Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay, like most 1970s French erotic horror films, leans more towards erotic fantasies than your typical visceral horror film. Ultimately, Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay is a truly unique and enchanting film.

Mondo Macabro gives Girl Slaves of Morgana le Fay a definitive release; it has never looked or sounded better, and there are a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Café Flesh – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1982
Director: Stephen Sayadian
Writers: Jerry Stahl, Stephen Sayadian
Cast: Andy Nichols, Paul McGibboney, Michelle Bauer, Marie Sharp, Tantala Ray, Dennis Edwards, Kevin James, Dondi Bastone, Richard Belzer 

Release Date: July 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 75 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC & 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.99

"The time: five years after a nuclear apocalypse. The survivors: post-nuke, thrill-freaks looking for a kick. Able to exist, to sense, to feel everything... but pleasure. In a world destroyed, survivors break down to those who can and those who can't. 99% are Sex Negatives; call them "erotic casualties". They want to make love, but the mere touch of another person makes them violently ill. The rest, the lucky one percent, are Sex Positives, those whose libidos escaped unscathed. After the Nuclear Kiss, the Positives remain to love, to perform; and the others can only watch - can only come to Cafe Flesh!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The following restoration of Café Flesh was made from a number of 35mm prints and analog sources with consequent occasional variations in image quality."

Café Flesh comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.8 GB

Feature: 14.3 GB (1.85:1 Aspect Ratio), 14.3 GB (1.33:1 Aspect Ratio)

Though there are a few moments where quality dips, the bulk of the time the source looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated and appropriately vibrant, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic. That said, it is difficult to imagine Café Flesh ever looking any better than it does for this release.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included are removable English SDH subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; ambient sounds are well represented; and range-wise, things sound robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), archival onset B-roll making of footage (3 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with writer and adult film performer Jessica Stoya (9 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Jacob Smith, Northwestern University (17 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Jerry Stahl aka Herbert W Day (15 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director, designer and screenwriter Stephen Sayadian aka Rinse Dream (57 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Stephen Sayadian.

Summary:

Stephen Sayadian and Jerry Stahl are the creative minds behind Café Flesh. Their other collaborations include Nightdreams and Dr. Caligari. Stephen Sayadian is most known for his role as the creative director of humor and advertising for Larry Flynt Publications, and screenwriter Jerry Stahl’s autobiographical novel Permanent Midnight about his addiction to heroin was adapted into a feature film.

In a post-apocalyptic future there are two kinds of people: sex negatives, who get ill from physical intimacy, and sex positives, who perform for those who can no longer experience pleasure.

Despite Café Flesh being made for adult film audiences, the result is an anti-X-rated film in how deliberately unerotic it is. Café Flesh is a film infused with avant-garde and surrealism. The look of Café Flesh is an infusion of 1950s and 1980s culture. Mitchell Froom’s remarkable score perfectly underscores the mood, creating a synergy with the visuals.

The narrative does an excellent job balancing exposition and sex scenes. At 76 minutes in length, things move quickly, and the narrative does a phenomenal job building to its climax. The premise and its post-apocalyptic setting are ripe with possibilities, and they are fully exploited.

The cast is a mixture of adult performers and theater actors. When it comes to the performances, they far exceed expectations. The most memorable performance is Marie Sharp, who portrays Angel, a woman who hides that she is actually sex-positive. Another notable performance is Michelle Bauer (Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers), who portrays Lana, a sex-negative woman who has a sexual awakening in the finale. Notable cast members include adult film actor Kevin James, who portrays Johnny Rico, a sex-positive performer, and Richard Belzer (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), who has a cameo as a loudmouth audience member.

There are six sex scenes, and each one has a different theme and vibe. In the first one, a 1950s housewife has a sexual rendezvous with a milkman who looks like a rat. In the second one, a secretary has sex with her boss, who has a pencil for a head, while other rigs are in the background. The third one is a lesbian scene in a Cold War setting. The fourth one is a self-pleasure moment with Lana. The fifth one is a Busby Berkeley-inspired scene. In the final sex scene, Lana has her sexual awakening.

Stephen Sayadian’s extensive background as an art director and production designer is on full display in Café Flesh. That said, the production design is exemplary; it is overflowing with imagination. The most surprising aspect of Café Flesh is how effectively it employs humor. Ultimately, Café Flesh is a unique cinema experience that those who normally don’t enjoy adult cinema are sure to enjoy.

Café Flesh gets a definitive release from Mondo Macabro, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer