Last Year at Marienbad – Kino Lorber (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1961
Director: Alain Resnais
Writer: Alain Robbe-Grillet
Cast: Giorgio Albertazzi, Delphine Seyrig, Sacha Pitoëff

Release Date: Aug 27th 2024
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.95

"In a large international hotel in the European resort town of Marienbad, with a sumptuous but austere décor-a marble universe with gold paneling, statues, and stuff servants-the rich, anonymous, idle clientele circulates. A man (Giorgio Albertazzi) is convinced he met an enigmatic woman (Seyrig, Jeanne Dielman) the previous year at the same location, and perhaps had a flirtation. A second man (Sacha Pitoëff, Inferno), possibly the woman's lover or husband, repeatedly intimidates the first man. Their relations unfold through flashback shards that never quite fit into place, their lives a hall of mirrors that never reveal a true self." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a gorgeous 4K restoration from StudioCanal."

Last Year at Marienbad comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 67.5 GB

Feature: 66.5 GB

As exceptional as their 2019 Blu-ray release, this new 4K UHD looks just as impressive, if not even more so. The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Last Year at Marienbad comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45 GB

Feature: 27 GB

The Blu-ray is the disc that Kino Lorber released in 2019.

Audio: 5/5

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

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with film critic Tim Lucas.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer for Last Year at Marienbad (3 minutes 34 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), a short film directed by Alain Resnais titled All the Memory of the World (21 minutes 58 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono French with removable English subtitles), a documentary titled Memories of Last Year at Marienbad (48 minutes 19 seconds, DTS-HD stereo German with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled Last Year at Marienbad A to Z (51 minutes 11 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with second assistant director Volker Schlondorff (32 minutes 51 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for French language film clips), and an audio commentary with Tim Lucas.

Other extras on the Blu-ray disc are trailers for Woman in Chains and The Nun.

Rounding out the extras is a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Alain Resnais, whose other notable films include Night and Fog, Hiroshima Mon Amour, and Je t'aime, je t'aime.

Memory is the theme that drives Last Year at Marienbad’s narrative. Last Year at Marienbad takes a mundane event, like a chance encounter, and examines how each person recalls a shared event from their past. And nowhere is this clearer than how Last Year at Marienbad explores how personal feelings influence memory’s. 

Though the narrative is well-constructed, there is no semblance of time as the narrative moves forward. The narrative’s simplicity reinforces what is said or seen.

Content-wise, Last Year at Marienbad has many elements that have since become synonymous with Gothic Romanticism. Most notably its use of mysterious architecture and supernatural undertones.

Performance-wise, the main characters are all very good in their respective roles, especially Delphine Seyrig (Daughters of Darkness,) in the role of A, the brunette woman. Her performance perfectly captures her character's inability to remember the past.

The other main characters are Giorgio Albertazzi (Le Notti Bianche) in the role of X, the man with the Italian accent, the man who tries to get A, the brunette woman, to remember a romantic embrace from their past, and Sacha Pitoëff (Inferno) in the role of M, the other man with the lean face, the husband, the man who is now romantically linked to the brunette woman.

From a production standpoint, Last Year at Marienbad achieves all of its goals. The Gothic-infused visuals are overflowing with dreamlike atmosphere and symbolism. And not to be overlooked is the role that sound plays in Last Year at Marienbad and how these two elements juxtapose, creating a perfect fusion.

Last Year at Marienbad is one of Kino Lorber’s best 4K UHD releases, 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

Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1991
Director: Lu Chun-Ku
Writer: Lee Ho-Kwan
Cast: Donnie Yen, Pauline Yeung, Ben Lam, Chui Hei-Man, Lo Wai-Kwong, Kathy Chow, Sibelle Hu, Sonny Chang, Mai Te-Lo (Robert Mak)

Release Date: July 1st, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 91 Minutes 14 Seconds (Cat II Version), 92 Minutes 43 Seconds (Cat III Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"Martial arts action icon Donnie Yen (‘John Wick: Chapter Four’, ‘Ip Man’) plays Cheung, a kung fu fighting Chinese Indiana Jones forced to taken on the challenge of an ancient supernatural foe. Ken Lo (‘Drunken Master II’) is our hero’s nemesis as he tries to protect a magically empowered tribal princess (Pauline Yeung, ‘Dragons Forever’). Cheung must also contend with Sgt Hu, a Hong Kong lady cop determined to crack the same case (Sibelle Hu, ‘The Inspector Wear Skirts’)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Cat II Version), 3.5/5 (Cat III Version)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray(TM) Presentation in 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. Two versions of the film including the uncut Cat III Version (Reconstructed From best available materials)."

Here’s a disclaimer that plays before the Cat III version, "The following is a reconstruction of the original uncensored category III version of Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead.

Despite the efforts of 88 Films, film elements for the footage exclusive to this cut could not be tracked down. Thus, a standard definition source with burned-in subtitles had to be used to fill in the approximately ten minutes of missing and alternate footage, while utilizing the HD master for the scenes shared between both cuts.

Despite the imperfections, we hope you enjoy the presentation."

Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 21.1 GB (Cat II Version), 22.2 GB (Cat III Version)

The source has some mild source debris, colors look correct, image clarity is generally strong, black levels fare well, and compression is very good. The bulk of the Cat III version shares footage that is comparable to the Cat II version. That said, the standard definition inserts look rough.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range is very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with screenwriter Lee Ho-Kwan titled The Man Behind the Genius (28 minutes 29 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Robert Mak titled The King of Disco Vs The Evil Dead (15 minutes 32 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, double-sided A3 Fold-out poster (limited to the first pressing), a double-walled gloss O-ring (limited to the first pressing), and a 24-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, Moon Monsters, Holy Virgins, and Kung-Fu a Look Back on Donnie Yen’s Cat III Cult Classic written by Paul Bramhall, and archival images.

Summary:

Lu Chun-Ku directed Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead. His other notable films are The Master (1980), The Lady Assassin, Holy Flame of the Martial World, and Bastard Swordsman.

The narrative revolves around a professor who becomes the main suspect in the killings of a few of his female students.When the police refuse to believe him about what happened that night, he takes matters into his own hands.

Though most Hong Kong films have a dominant genre that they fit into, genre blending and Hong Kong cinema are two things that go hand in hand. Case in point: Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead is a film that is just as much a supernatural horror film as it is an action film. That said, supernatural horror is the focus in the opening and closing sections, while an action-dominated middle section shifts its focus to police procedural.

The 1990s saw a rise in exploitation cinema in Hong Kong, resulting in a truly wild time where anything could happen. Sex and violence are the two things that drive Cat III cinema, and Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead has both of these in an ample amount. There are two versions of Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead: a clothed version and an unclothed version. That said, sex takes a backseat when it comes to the clothed version (aka Cat II version).

Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead dives head first into a fury of carnage before any characters are fleshed out. What starts off as a mundane party quickly becomes a blood bath with a moon demon assaulting and killing several women. Unfortunately, after such a powerful opening sequence, things lose steam with a dramatic tonal shift towards police investigating what happened.

Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey) is cast in the role of the protagonist, a professor who is wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit. Even in this early role, Donnie Yen already has a strong screen presence. That said, the rest of the cast features several recognizable faces who are all great in their roles.

Though there is no denying that Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead is a crazy ride, it is not a film without shortcomings. Notably, its tonal shifts slow the momentum down. That said, the supernatural horror moments have a lot more energy than the police procedural moments. Ultimately, Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead's crazy premise and enthusiastic performances make for a highly entertaining thrill ride.

88 Films gives Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead its best home media release to date, recommended.

                            A screenshot example of footage from the Cat III version.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Devil Times Five – Vinegar Syndrome (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1974
Directors: Sean MacGregor, David Sheldon
Writers: John Durren, Dylan Jones, Sandra Lee Blowitz
Cast: Leif Garrett, Sorrell Booke, Gene Evans, Taylor Lacher, Joan McCall, Shelley Morrison, Carolyn Stellar, John Durren, Gail Smale, Dawn Lyn, Tierre Turner, Tia Thompson, Henry Beckman

Release Date: August 20th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $54.98

"Julie, her boyfriend Rick and a number of other guests have assembled at the chalet of her wealthy father, nestled deep in the snowy surroundings of Lake Arrowhead. Their laid-back boozing and petty arguments are upended by the unexpected arrival of a group of five mysterious children who claim to have become stranded after their bus broke down. Taking pity on the youngsters, the group offers to let them stay at the house until help arrives. Unbeknownst to the adults, these tots are in fact on the run from an asylum, and they waste no time in getting down to manipulating and then viciously killing their unsuspecting hosts." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

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

Devil Times Five comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 61.7 GB

Feature: 61 GB

This release presents Devil Times Five in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, whereas Code Red presented the film in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The source looks excellent; all source imperfections present on Code Red’s release have been cleaned up. Areas of greatest improvement are image clarity, black levels, contrast, and compression. That said, color saturation is solid, and the image always retains an organic look.

Devil Times Five comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.4 GB

Feature: 24.3 GB 

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

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. This audio track is a noticeable improvement over Code Red’s Blu-ray release. There are no issues with background hiss or distortion; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with actresses Joan McCall and Dawn Lyn, producer Michael Blowitz and uncredited co-director David Sheldon, moderated by Darren Gross, and an audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues!.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an alternate Devil Times Five title card (1 minute 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), bonus archival interviews (7 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette comprising interviews with actor Tierre Turner, Joan McCall, Dawn Lyn, Michael Blowitz and David Sheldon (22 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Bruce Wank, son of executive producer Jordan M. Wank titled Daddy's Home (8 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with second assistant director Walter Dominguez titled Puppeteering (20 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower titled Holiday from Hell (26 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Joan McCall and Dawn Lyn, Michael Blowitz and David Sheldon, moderated by Darren Gross, and an audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues!.

Other extras include reversible cover art and a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 5,000 units).

Summary:

Three wealthy couples staying at a remote mountain home are surprised by five children who appear out of nowhere. Unknown to them, these are not your ordinary children. When bodies start to pile up, the adults suspect that the children are behind what is going on.

Throughout Devil Times Five, there are many noticeable continuity errors, notably a wig that's used to cover up Leif Garrett's haircut. After a few weeks, the original director, Sean MacGregor, was fired. Most of his footage was considered unusable. The mixing of newly shot footage with what was usable of Sean MacGregor’s footage is why there are continuity errors.

The best horror films rely heavily on body counts and keeping momentum in between kills. Unfortunately, a film like Devil Times Five has a slow-moving narrative that spends most of the four introducing characters and providing a glimpse into their imperfect lives. Fortunately, things do pick up considerably in the last 25 minutes. This is also when the majority of the kills happen. That said, most of the murder set pieces are elaborate in design and, in some cases, unique, like the scene where a woman named Lovely is eaten alive by piranhas while taking a bath.

There are a few actors who would go on to become household names, like Sorrell Booke, who would later play Boss Hogg in the Dukes of Hazzard, and 1970’s teen heartthrob Leif Garret. Performance-wise, the cast ranges from adequate to good. That said, the only performances that stand out are the evil children. 

From a production standpoint, Devil Times Fives has a few notable films. Though the premise is far-fetched and downright silly, the ending is the film's creepiest moment, and outside of this, the rest of the film is not scary or disturbing. The visuals are serviceable, and if the score sounds oddly familiar, look no further than its use of London Bridge is Falling Down. Ultimately, Devil Times Five is a mess of a movie that even die-hard slashers fans will find a chore to get through.

Devil Times Five gets a definitive release from Vinegar Syndrome, 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

Island of Fire – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Taiwan/Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Kevin Chu
Writers: Lee Fu, Yip Wan-Chiu
Cast: Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Tou Chung-hua, Barry Wong, Jimmy Wang Yu, Ko Chun-hsiung, Jack Kao

Release Date: August 26th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 96 Minutes 22 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono Mandarin, LPCM Mono English, LPCM Alternate Mandarin Mono
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"Four men of iron face their destinies within the harsh walls of a Taiwanese prison. Steve (Jackie Chan) is a gambler seeking to atone for his sins. Andy (Tony Leung) is an undercover cop solving a crime. Lee (Andy Lau) is a gangster looking for vengeance. John (Sammo Hung) is a lifer seeking to reunite with his son." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "HD (1080p) Blu-rayTM presentation in original 1.85:1".

Island of Fire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.1 GB

Feature: 31.6 GB

The information provided in regard to the source leads me to believe it is dated. That said, flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with four audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin, a LPCM mono mix in English, and a LPCM alternate mono mix in Mandarin. All of the audio tracks are in great shape; they all sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese and Mandarin language tracks. 

Extras:

Extras for this release include Japanese TV spot (17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), Japanese theatrical trailer (1 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with Japanese text and removable English subtitles), Taiwanese theatrical trailer (4 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles), export theatrical trailer reconstruction (2 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), export version end credits (1 minute 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (6 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jimmy Wang Yu (8 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Mandarin with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Kevin Chu (6 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Mandarin with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Jack Kao titled Actor on Fire (21 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Mandarin with removable English subtitles), 16 scenes from the Taiwanese version (40 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English and Cantonese subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto, reversible cover art, a fold-out poster (limited to the first pressing), a rigid slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and a 32-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled An Offer You Can't Refuse Jimmy Wang Yu and Island of Fire written by David West, an essay titled Clothes Make the Chan - Breaking the Fourth Wall written by Thorsten Boose, and archival images.

Summary:

Despite directing 73 films and having a career that spanned 4 decades, before Island on Fire, Kevin Chu was most known for Fantasy Mission Force, a film that also starred Jackie Chan.

The narrative revolves around a cop who goes undercover inside a maximum security prison, looking into men who were executed and turned up later as assassins.

Those seeking a typical Jackie Chan film with Island of Fire should be aware that he assumes a secondary position with limited on-screen time. And though his performance ventures into darker areas he would later explore in films like Crime Story and Shinjuku Incident, there are still moments in Island of Fire that are in line with the type of character he’s known for portraying. That said, there are several moments where his mischievous interactions with other characters are in line with what one expects from Jackie Chan.

Besides Jackie Chan, there are a few other notable names in the cast: Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs), Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (The Magnificent Butcher), and Jimmy Wang Yu (The Chinese Boxer). Like Jackie Chan, all of the actors portray secondary characters. The actual lead is Tony Leung Ka-fai (Ashes of Time), who portrays the undercover cop.That said, no matter how large or small, all of the performances are excellent.

Despite there being some martial arts in Island of Fire, it is more of a straight up action film with its use of guns, knives and explosives. Also, when it comes to onscreen carnage, there are times where it can be jarring. And it should not come as a surprise that the action set pieces and stunt work are exceptional all around. Jackie Chan and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung perform the most daring and acrobatic stunts.

The most impressive aspect of Island of Fire is the way its narrative is laid out. All of its name actors' characters are given super introductions that fill in all their relevant backstory. Also, the narrative does an excellent job bringing all their stories together for a sensational finale. That said, things always move along quickly, ensuring there are never any issues with pacing.

Though Island of Fire has a serious tone that at times gets bleak, that is not to say that it does not effectively interject moments of humor. The most memorable moment of humor is a scene where a woman needs help with a flat tire in the pouring rain, and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung’s character has her rock the car so her breasts press against the car window. That said, as effective as these moments of humor are, they don’t lessen the blow of the extremely bleak ending. Ultimately, Island of Fire is a solid action film that has some heroic bloodshed elements.

Island of Fire gets a solid release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1989
Director: Pedro Galindo III
Writers: Pedro Galindo III, Santiago Galindo
Cast: Pedro Fernández, Edith González, Toño Mauri, Charly Valentino, Marisol Santacruz, Adriana Vega, Alfredo Gutiérrez, Alberto Mejía Barón, Armando Galván

Release Date: August 20th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 76 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $44.98

"Nacho and Mauricio are friends, but their competitive nature has them at each other's throats. After an embarrassing defeat, Mauricio comes up with one last bet to settle the score. When a number of gory bear attacks are reported in the paper, the boys decide whoever can kill the deadly beast will be declared the macho-est man of them all. With girlfriends and sidekicks in tow they venture out for the ultimate hunt, but when they start getting attacked and mutilated they realize they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted! And the bear they thought they’d catch may be something more sinister than they could have ever dreamed…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from 35mm archival positives".

Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23 GB

Feature: 19.1 GB

The source looks great; any imperfections that remain are minor. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range is very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with producer Eduardo Galindo titled The Making of Hell’s Trap (7 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with special effects artist Jorge Farfán titled Mexican Special Effects (5 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Marisol Santacruz titled From Super Blonde to Movie Villain (12 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with non-removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, and a spot gloss and embossed slipcover (limited to 5,000 units).

Summary:

Two teenagers go into the woods to hunt down a bear. Their friends join them for the excursion. What starts off as a competition turns deadly when a psychopath in a mask stalks and kills them.

Though Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) opens with a well-executed deceptive opening that does a great job setting the tone for what follows, unfortunately, after a strong opening, the narrative then devolves into nothing more than a by-the-numbers body count film. When it comes to the stylish visuals, this is one area where Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) is surprisingly strong. At least when it comes to the gory kills, this is an area where Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) will not disappoint. The masked killer has an arsenal of weapons that includes a Freddy Krueger-like glove.

The performances are less than impressive, and all the actors and actresses appear older than teenagers. Fortunately, at just under 77 minutes in length, Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) is a film that does not feel overlong. That said, pacing is actually very good, as there are no moments that bring everything to a halt. Genre films made after Mexican cinema's Golden Age have more misses than hits, and a film like Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) fails to restore anyone's faith in Mexican genre cinema.

Vinegar Syndrome gives Hell's Trap (Trampa infernal) a first-rate release.

Written by Michael Den Boer