Impulse – Grindhouse Releasing (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1974
Director: William Grefé
Writer: Tony Crechales
Cast: William Shatner, Ruth Roman, Jennifer Bishop, Kim Nicholas, James Dobson, Harold Sakata, Marcia Knight, Vivian Lester, William Kerwin, Marcy Lafferty, Chad Walker, Paula Dimitrouleas, Doug Hobart, Lewis Perles

Release Date: March 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 5 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $44.95

"William Shatner stars as Matt Stone, a deranged gigolo who preys on rich women, unable to control his murderous psychosexual urges." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Spectacular new 4K restoration created from rare archival film elements".

Additional information about the transfer, "Sadly, the negative for Impulse was destroyed many years ago.

The presentation which you are about to see was mastered in 4K from the best existing element, a rare archival 35mm release print.

The print was faded and damaged, but has been restored to the best of our ability."

Impulse comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.8 GB

Feature: 25 GB

Though the disclaimer before the film gives you an idea of the dire straits that source material was in, the result is actually a transfer that far exceeds expectations. That said, Grindhouse Releasing has done a phenomenal job with the source. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity, contrast, and black levels are strong throughout, compression is solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with hiss or distortion. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and range-wise, this track sounds very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release are spread over two discs.

Extras on disc one include theatrical trailer A (1 minute 18 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), theatrical trailer B (2 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), 40th anniversary screening Tampa Theater November 7th, 2015 (27 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), onset footage titled Shatner Saves Sakata with optional audio commentary with director William Grefé, and optional audio commentary with actor William Shatner (1 minute 31 seconds), a featurette titled The Making of Impulse (14 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with William Grefé for Impulse.

Other extras on disc include Devil’s Sisters Resurrected Intro (2 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Devil’s Sisters Revisited (9 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bill Grefé and The Devil’s Sisters (1 minute 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Godmothers Intro by William Grefé (3 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a bonus feature film directed by William Grefé titled The Devil’s Sisters (84 minutes 16 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and a bonus feature film directed by William Grefé titled The Godmothers (77 minutes 39 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Easter Eggs on disc one are a clip of a band playing a song inspired by Impulse; this can be found via the extras menu (5 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles); a short film titled Tina’s Impulse; this can be found via the main menu (1 minute 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles); a clip where William Grefé discusses Deep Throat; this can be found via the bonus features menu (2 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles); and a PSA short titled The Dangerous Stranger; this can be found via the setup menu (9 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Extras on disc two include a trailer gallery for other films also available from Grindhouse Releasing, stills galleries: production stills (16 images), press (46 images), Drive-in Delirium newspaper ad gallery with music from Impulse playing in the background, video release (11 images), Bill Grefé (10 images), revival (24 images), and cover art by Dave Lebow (22 images), short films: Thumbs (6 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Iceman (4 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), A  Cask of Amontillado (9 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Underworld (21 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), industrial short films: Bacardi: Shatner (19 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Fame with William Shatner (12 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Investing in Movies with Lauren Bacall (23 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), film-making seminars: session 1 (125 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), session 2 (103 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and session 3 (80 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with C. Courtney Joyner titled Between the Treks: Shatner in the 1970s (26 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Kingdom of Shatner - William Shatner Live in Santa Monica October 9th, 2022 (64 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with make-up artist Doug Hobart titled The Corpse Speaks (33 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bill Grefé is Furious (77 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bill’s Miami Stories (24 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bill’s Sea Stories (43 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Bill Grefé Zoll interview (12 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Live and Let Die news report (2 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and Legend Award (9 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Easter Eggs on disc two are a clip with C. Courtney Joyner who discusses William Shatner’s Full Moon Fright Night, this can be found via the interviews menu (5 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with William Grefé who discusses I Eat Your Skin, this can be found via the main menu (18 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an outtake with William Grefé and Doug Hobart, this can be found via the film-making seminars menu (1 minute 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an image gallery of Tony Crechales, that can be found via the stills galleries menu (22 images).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a postcard, a slipcover, and 8-page booklet with an essay titled Impulse: A Nerve Throbbing Horrifying Awesome Drama About Evil Taking All Reason or How William Grefé’s Florida Film Scene & Tony Crechales Forbidden Skills Made William Shatner a Super (Anti) Hero Gigolo Beast written by Jacques Boyreau.

Summary:

Impulse: Matt Stone is a gigolo killer who was traumatized as a young boy when he killed one of his mother's lovers. He is on the move again after killing another one of his sugar mama’s because she confronted him about some chick he was seeing on the side. One day, Matt meets a young girl named Tina, whom he gives a ride to. She is going to visit her dead father at the graveyard. Ann Tina’s mother is set up on a blind date with Matt Stone, whom she quickly falls in love with. Does Matt feel the same way about Ann, or is he just waiting for the right moment to take her for everything she has?

There is a pre-credits sequence that perfectly lays the foundation for Matt Stone’s state of mind. He was raised by a promiscuous mother, and when one of her clients gets rough with her, Matt kills the man. This traumatic event serves as the catalyst that ignites Matt Stone’s hatred of women. Shooting in black and white, this sequence does a great job setting the tone for what follows.

Without a doubt, the main reason for checking out Impulse is actor William Shatner, who plays a leisure suit wearing psycho. He not only likes to get it on, but he also likes to take all the money he can from his victims. Over the course of his fifty-plus years in acting, no one has ever accused William Shatner of hamming things up or overacting. It is these two things that make him so enjoyable to watch, no matter what role he is playing. William Shatner gives a solid performance, and despite playing a despicable character, he ends up being the most likeable person in Impulse.

Besides William Shatner, there are a few recognizable faces, like Ruth Roman (Strangers on a Train) in the role of Julia Marstow, an older widower who flirts with Matt Stone the first time she sees him, and Harold Sakata (Goldfinger) in the role of karate Pete, a former associate of Matt Stone. Another cast member of note is Jennifer Bishop (Mako: The Jaws of Death) in the role of Ann Moy, a woman who falls head over heels for Matt Stone. Unfortunately, when it comes to performances, none of the cast holds a candle to William Shatner.

Though William Grefé’s direction is never flashy, it works well within the story at hand, and it lets the performances, especially William Shatner's, take center stage. Also, despite the subject matter being what one expects from a thriller, the result is something that is closer to a melodrama with a few violent outbursts from the protagonist. Ultimately, Impulse’s pros far outweigh its cons, and it is easily William Grefé’s best film.

The Devil’s Sisters: A woman who has escaped a Tijuana brothel describes to the police the hellish conditions she and the other women experienced there.

The Devil’s Sisters is William Grefé’s one and only foray into the roughie film genre. The premise of women who are tricked, abducted, raped, and tortured checks all of the core elements that one would expect from a roughie film. That said, despite the subject that is described above, the result is actually not as in-your-face as most roughie films are.

The narrative, which is mostly told via flashback, does a good job laying out the events that happened to the woman who is in bed near death after a daring escape. And though there are a few moments where things do drag, for the most part, the narrative does a good job moving things forward. Also, it should be noted that The Devil’s Sisters was a film thought to have been lost and that the last 8 minutes no longer exist. For this release, storyboards and comments by William Grefé are used, which help recreate the missing footage.

From a production standpoint, William Grefé does a great job of maximizing his limited resources. Unfortunately, the performances are best described as serviceable. Ultimately, The Devil’s Sisters is a well-made exploitation film that fans of roughie films should enjoy.

The Godmothers: Two mobster brothers dress like women to avoid marrying the Don’s ugly daughter.

William Grefé worked in just about every film genre; he is most known for his films that would be classified as exploitation cinema. Notably, films like Stanley, Impulse, and Mako: The Jaws of Death. When it comes to comedy, The Godmothers is the only time he has worked in this genre. That said, throughout his filmography, there are many instances where his films have been unintentionally funny.

The Godmothers is clearly a sequel to films like The Godfather. There is also a little bit of Some Like It Hot thrown in for good measure. Two men trying to avoid the mob spend most of The Godmothers dressed like women. That said, while in Some Like It Hot they dressed like women and tried to avoid the mob, in The Godmother's avoidance is not the main reason why they dress like women.

The main reason anyone would check out The Godmothers is Mickey Rooney in the role of Rocky Mastrasso, a mobster who has been chosen to marry the don’s ugly daughter. Everything he and the cast do is strictly for laughs; forget any character development or backstory. Also, Mickey Rooney portrays a caricature Asian character like he did in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

From a production standpoint, The Godmothers is another low-budget affair from William Grefé, who does a good job with what he has to work with. The absurd premise and abundance of outrageous scenarios ensure there is rarely a dull moment. That said, The Godmothers is best described as a series of comedic moments and not much else.

This release is stacked with extras, comes with two bonus feature films, and Impulse has never looked or sounded better on home video, making this a definitive release from Grindhouse Releasing, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer