Une femme douce – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1969
Director: Robert Bresson
Writer: Robert Bresson
Cast: Dominique Sanda, Guy Frangin, Jeanne Lobre, Claude Ollier, Jacques Kébadian, Gilles Sandier, Dorothée Blanck

Release Date: December 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 48 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"From the balcony of her Parisian apartment, a young woman (Dominique Sanda, The Conformist) jumps to her death. Her body is moved to the bed that she shared with her husband Luc (Guy Frangin), a pawnbroker she met at a time of need. Through a series of flashbacks, Luc reflects on their marriage and the events that may have led to her suicide." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “Une femme douce was restored in 2K from the original negative in 2013. The film restoration was carried out using tools to remove dirt and improve stabilization. Completed with the support of CNC by Eclair Group and L.E. Diapason for Paramount Pictures and Cine Mag Bodard, with the collaboration of Mylène Bresson.”

Une femme douce comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.8 GB

Feature: 24.2 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (22 images—stills/lobby cards), an archival French TV interview with actress Dominique Sanda (5 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival French TV interview with director Robert Bresson (7 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a video essay by Cristina Álvarez López and Adrian Martin titled Over Her Dead Body (17 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for French film clips), an audio commentary with Michael Brooke, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 32-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Behind the Façade: Une femme douce and the Hiddenness of God written by Alex Barrett and an archival interview with Robert Bresson conducted by Ronald Hayman, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Robert Bresson directed Une femme douce; he adapted the screenplay from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short story A Gentle Creature. He directed 14 films; the most notable are Diary of a Country Priest, A Man Escaped, Pickpocket, and Au hasard Balthazar.

When a woman kills herself, leaving no explanation, her husband looks back on their time together and tries to uncover the reason why.

Robert Bresson was truly one of cinema’s most unique filmmakers. While he mastered the media, he did not follow traditional cinema techniques. He favored using non-actors in his films and often rejected the artificial aesthetics commonly found in traditional cinema. His narratives often had deliberate gaps that allowed viewers to fill in the missing information.

Une femme douce is a film that opens with a pivotal moment, and from there, its narrative retraces the events that led to that moment. In its opening moments a woman jumps from her apartment's balcony to the street below, causing her death. In the aftermath, her husband has her body taken to their bed while their maid prepares her for the wake. From there, a series of memories recounted by the husband reveal who the woman was and offer some insight into her mental state.

The two leads, Guy Frangin in the role of the husband and Dominique Sanda (The Conformist), had never acted before Une femme douce. While the latter would have a career that lasted six decades, the former would not appear in another film. When it comes to their performances, there is a rawness that enhances the authenticity.

For his 10th film, Robert Bresson would shoot in color for the first time. The visuals in Une femme douce include a few striking moments, particularly the scene of the wife's lifeless body on the pavement below their apartment. However, for the most part, the visuals remain observational. Despite this lack of visual flair, the film would not have had the same impact if it had been shot in black and white.

Although the husband tries to fill in the blanks about his deceased wife's life and their time together, these are his memories of those events. Despite her absence of perspective, it is evident that she was a troubled soul, confined by the restrictions imposed by her husband. Feeling trapped, the wife's final words were that she'd found happiness, only to jump to her death. Her final words offer clearer insight into her psyche than the memories her husband has of her. Ultimately, Une femme douce is an extraordinary exploration of the human condition.

Une femme douce gets a definitive release from Radiance Films. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Creepy-Creatures Double-Feature (The Slime People + The Crawling Hand): Collectors Limited Edition – VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1963 (The Slime People, The Crawling Hand)
Directors: Robert Hutton (The Slime People), Herbert L. Strock (The Crawling Hand)
Cast: Robert Hutton, Les Tremayne, Robert Burton, Susan Hart, William Boyce, Judee Morton, John Close (The Slime People), Peter Breck, Kent Taylor, Rod Lauren, Alan Hale Jr., Allison Hayes, Sirry Steffen, Arline Judge, Richard Arlen, Tristram Coffin, Ross Elliott (The Crawling Hand)

Release Date: April 21st, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 88 Minutes 6 Seconds (The Slime People), 76 Minutes 59 Seconds (The Crawling Hand)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Slime People), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Crawling Hand)
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Slime People: "Golden Turkey" fans, attention! It's a veritable voyage to the bottom of the sci-fi barrel as prehistoric"Slime People" emerge from the sewers of Los Angeles! The atom-age U.S. Army is no match for this small band of spear-toting boogeymen and the city is evacuated. Left behind and forced to fight for survival are a TV sportscaster, a science professor, his two glamorous daughters, a bashful Marine, and a nutty author in love with a sheep. The Crawling Hand: A manned rocket returning from the Moon is invaded by an alien life force that possesses the astronaut, maintains control of his disembodied hand after a California beach crash-landing, and then imposes its will on a local medical student (Rod Lauren). Veteran players Kent Taylor, Richard Arlen, Alan Hale Jr., and Arline Judge struggle to retain their dignity in this five-fingered sci-fiasco!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (The Crawling Hand), 4/5 (The Slime People)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "First time these Sci-Fi Classics have been release in high definition from new 4K scans of the original 35mm negatives!"

The Slime People and The Crawling Hand come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.9 GB

Feature: 19.4 GB (The Slime People), 15.6 GB (The Crawling Hand)

Both films are given brand new transfers that are marked improvements over their previous home media releases. Image clarity and gray and black levels are solid; there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, range-wise it's best described as serviceable.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an extensive photo gallery of classic drive-in sci-fi movies, a featurette titled Rubber Monsters, Real Fears: Mid-Century Sci-Fi (3 minutes 2 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio interview with actress Susan Hart, conducted by film historian Tom Weaver titled Unearthing The Slime People (54 minutes 49 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Tom Weaver for The Slime People, an audio commentary with artist, reviewer, and podcaster Rob Kelly for The Crawling Hand, reversible cover art, and a slipcover (limited to 1,500 copies).

Summary:

The Slime People: Los Angeles is taken over by subterranean monsters who isolate the city with an impenetrable shield.

Although The Slime People is an extension of the 1950s creature feature, the result is something that firmly resides in the psychotronic film category. These were low-budget films that usually resided in the horror and sci-fi genres, and a film like The Slime People combines both of these genres. When these films were entertaining, they were enjoyable to watch. However, when these films are not entertaining, they become a tedious experience to endure. That said, despite all of its shortcomings, one thing that stands out about The Slime People is that it's always a lot of fun.

While the premise is far-fetched, its opening setup does a remarkable job setting the mood for what follows. When it comes to pacing, things move at a deliberate pace that is in no hurry to get anywhere. The special effects do not hold up well at all, especially the men inside of creature suits; fortunately, the creatures are only being used sparingly. The performances are best described as serviceable, the most notable cast member being Susan Hart (Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine) in the role of a daughter of a professor. Ultimately, The Slime People is a film that relies heavily on atmosphere and is best enjoyed if you go in with low expectations.

The Crawling Hand: The severed arm of a dead astronaut comes back to life and strangles the living.

The Crawling Hand takes sci-fi elements and fuses them with horror elements, making it a perfect example of what is known as "psychotronic cinema." Despite its sci-fi opening setup, The Crawling Hand is actually a dialogue-heavy narrative where not much happens outside of an occasional strangling. It’s immediately clear that The Crawling Hand is working with a razor-thin budget, and nowhere does this standout when it comes to the special effects.

The Crawling Hand is a film that fails on all levels. Its absurd premise full of possibilities is poorly executed, and the narrative moves at a lethargic pace. The acting is not memorable; the most notable cast member is Alan Hale Jr., most known for portraying The Skipper from Gilligan's Island. That said, it's easy to see why a film like The Crawling Hand was lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000. Ultimately, The Crawling Hand is an awful film that commits the worst crime of all; it's not entertaining, at least in a so-bad-it's-good way.

VCI Entertainment gives The Slime People and The Crawling Hand their best home media release to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Ugly: Collectors Limited Edition – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: New Zealand, 1997
Director: Scott Reynolds
Writer: Scott Reynolds
Cast: Paolo Rotondo, Paul Glover, Chris Graham, Darien Takle, Rebecca Hobbs, Roy Ward, Jennifer Ward-Lealand

Release Date: April 21st, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 22 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 2.0 Stereo English, DTS-HD 4.0 Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"Confined to a mental institution, disturbed young serial killer Simon (The Rule of Jenny Pen's Paolo Rotondo) is tormented by cruel orderlies and his own personal demons including "The Ugly" which compels him to kill. Now at his request, Dr. Karen Schumaker (The Brokenwood Mysteries' Rebecca Hobbs) arrives to discover whether Simon is fit to be released back into society. As the terrifying secrets within Simon's mind are revealed, no one will be left unscathed by the horrors about to be unleashed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 4K restoration of the film from the original 35mm interpositive."

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

Disc Size: 37 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 2.0 stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 4.0 stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks are impressive; the dialogue is clear, the overall sound is well balanced, and the ambient sound effects are effectively represented. Included are removable English subtitles and English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 37 seconds, LPCM 2.0 stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 37 seconds, LPCM 4.0 stereo English, no subtitles), a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background, two short films directed by Scott Reynolds: The M1nute (8 minutes 40 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles) and A Game with No Rules (16 minutes 54 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a 1997 radio New Zealand interview with Scott Reynolds (18 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Howard S. Berger titled Getting to Know You—Dialogues With the Devil in ‘The Ugly’ and Serial Killer Cinema (19 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an option to listen to the isolated score, an audio commentary with actors Paolo Rotondo and Rebecca Hobbs, moderated by Nathaniel Thompson, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and an 8-page booklet with an essay titled Reflections: A Look Back at Scott Reynolds’ The Ugly written by Jason Jenkins.

The M1nute: A man receives a package from his adulteress wife and he imagines all of the bad things that are lurking inside.

A Game with No Rules: A man and his mistress conceive a plot to murder his wealthy wife. Unfortunately for them, even the best-laid plans go awry.

Summary:

A psychologist who wants to understand the mind of serial killers gets the opportunity to interview a notorious killer.

The mind of a killer has been the central theme of countless films. While the handling of said subject matter can widely differ, they all have a common link when it comes to their portrayal of the killers' crimes. Case in point, The Ugly, a film about an unrepentant, cold-blooded killer whose own trauma began as a child.

When the narrative begins, a killer named Simon Cartwright has already been caught and has spent the last five years in an asylum. The other key character is a psychologist named Karen Schumaker, who's just arrived at the asylum to interview and study Simon. From there, the narrative alternates between the present and the past as Simon retells key moments from his life.

The cast is anchored by two outstanding performances from its leads, Paolo Rotondo in the role of Simon and Rebecca Hobbs in the role of Karen. While Karen is a character who is clearly in control, Simon’s unpredictability creates tension and conflict that propels the story forward. Additionally, Jennifer Ward-Lealand delivers a noteworthy performance as Simon’s abusive mother.

From a production standpoint, The Ugly is a film that supersedes expectations. Its premise is superbly executed, and the narrative does an excellent job building momentum by delivering tense moments and creating an unsettling mood. Another area where The Ugly excels is its visuals, which take full advantage of the asylum setting, and the stylized kills are enhanced by using black blood in favor of red. Ultimately, The Ugly is a well-crafted psychological thriller that explores whether killers are inherently evil or if they are products of their environments.

The Ugly gets an exceptional release from Unearthed Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two short films, and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Vampire Time Travelers: Collector's Edition – Visual Vengeance (Blu-ray)

Release Dates: USA, 1998 (Vampire Time Travelers), USA, 2000 (I Know What You Did in English Class)
Director: Les Sekely (Both Films)
Writer: Les Sekely (Both Films)
Cast: Lynne Baker, Ali Elk, Kat Facchino, Micky Levy, Lori Morrissey, J.J. Rodgers, Jillien Weisz (Vampire Time Travelers), Catherine Brockett, Cathy Cohen, Brian Crow, Ali Elk, Rita Fiora, Bonnie Gillespie, Kathryn Glass, Christina Grandy (I Know What You Did in English Class)

Release Date: April 7th, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 65 Minutes 56 Seconds (Vampire Time Travelers), 69 Minutes 27 Seconds (I Know What You Did in English Class)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (Vampire Time Travelers)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"A group of college girls pledging a sorority stumble into a hallucinatory mix of low-budget, butt-biting vampires, unexplained time jumps, and increasingly ridiculous supernatural situations." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2/5 (Vampire Time Travelers), 1.5/5 (I Know What You Did in English Class)

Here’s the information provided about Vampire Time Travelers' transfer, "New director-approved SD master from original tape elements.".

Vampire Time Travelers and I Know What You Did in English Class come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.3 GB

Feature: 14.9 GB (Vampire Time Travelers), 5.5 GB (I Know What You Did in English Class)

There is only so much that can be done with a transfer source from SD tapes.That said, I don’t see any other release ever looking better than this one.

Audio: 3/5 (Vampire Time Travelers, I Know What You Did in English Class)

Each film comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. Though the audio sounds clear and balanced, don’t expect anything range-wise. Included with Vampire Time Travelers are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for Vampire Time Travelers include a Visual Vengeance for Vampire Time Travelers (1 minute 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Dennis Devine and assistant director Steve Jarvis (21 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Angelia Scott (10 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress JJ Rodgers (14 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Les Sekely (19 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Les Sekely.

Extras for I Know What You Did In English Class include a Visual Vengeance for I Know What You Did In English Class (1 minute 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Russell Towne (5 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Dennis Devine and Steve Jarvis (15 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Russ Lindsay (23 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Les Sekely (16 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Les Sekely.

Other extras include a short film titled Not So Grim Reaper (32 minutes 26 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Visual Vengeance trailers for Fungicide, Reanimator Academy, and Saurians, reversible cover art featuring new 'I Know What You Did In English Class' art, 'Stick your own' VHS sticker set, a folded mini-poster, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Vampire Time Travelers: Four girls pledging a fraternity encounter vampires and other supernatural entities.

Despite incorporating various horror cinema tropes, Vampire Time Travelers ultimately delivers a film that prioritizes humor over anything remotely scary. The narrative is weakly constructed, and it moves at a slow pace that makes it feel much longer than 66 minutes. The only redeeming feature of this film is the cast's exaggerated performances, which elicit a few chuckles. That said, Les Sekely’s directing style of repeating and overlapping images and words causes an odd rhythm that some might find nauseating. Ultimately, Vampire Time Travelers is a no-budget comedy/horror hybrid that quickly succumbs to its ambitions.

I Know What You Did in English Class: A deranged high school teacher escapes from an asylum and goes on a killing spree targeting her former students.

Les Sekely follows up Vampire Time Travelers with I Know What You Did in English Class, an equally baffling film. While the title suggests that it’s a spoof of I Know What You Did Last Summer, the film actually bears no resemblance to that movie. I Know What You Did in English Class keeps the formula that Les Sekely established with Vampire Time Travelers, a comedy with horror film elements and outrageous performances. Once again, Les Sekely employs an odd audio/video style that can induce headaches. Ultimately, I Know What You Did in English Class transcends the definition of a traditional film, functioning more as an experience. However, at just 69 minutes long, it can feel like a chore to endure.

Visual Vengeance gives a pair of Les Sekely’s films their best home media releases to date.

Written by Michael Den Boer