Hollywood 90028 – Grindhouse Releasing (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1973
Director: Christina Hornisher
Writer: Christina Hornisher
Cast: Christopher Augustine, Jeannette Dilger, Dick Glass, Gayle Davis, Ralph Campbell, Kia Cameron, Dianna Huntress, Beverly Walker, Melonie Haller

Release Date: November 28th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 29 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95

"Mark (Christopher Augustine) is a disturbed loner who toils in the sub-basement of the movie business as a cameraman shooting porno films for swinish boss Jobal (Dick Glass). In his off hours, Mark prowls the peep shows and strip clubs of Los Angeles to prey on random young women who he picks up and strangles to death. When Mark pursues a romantic interest in Michelle (Jeannette Dilger), a model who he films in one of Jobal's sleazy movies, the grim reality behind the fantasy leads the frustrated cinematographer to shoot a different kind of Hollywood ending." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Spectacular new 4K restoration created from the original 35mm camera negative."

Hollywood 90028 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.8 GB

Feature: 23.9 GB

The source looks excellent; any print debris that remains is minor. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, this is an exemplary presentation of an obscure film.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds great; there are no issues with background hiss or distortion, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this audio track does a superb job handling ambient sounds, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, I can’t imagine the audio sounding better than it does here.

Extras:

Extras for this release are spread over two discs.

Extras on disc one include stills galleries: Publicity (21 images), Drive-In Asylum Newspaper Ad Gallery (radio spots for the film play in the background), Christina Hornisher (21 images), Cast Photos (15 images), Cover Art by Jerry Martinez (67 images), and Adult Bookshop (an interactive image gallery), a theatrical trailer for Hollywood 90028 (1 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer under the alternate title Hollywood Hillside Strangler (35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), radio spots for Hollywood Hillside Strangler (58 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a collection of onset footage titled The Cameraman Outtakes (3 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film playing in the background), Alternate X-rated Cuts: The Simple Story (2 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Darkroom 2 (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and Love Montage (3 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an alternate version of Hollywood 90028 titled Twisted Throats, 84 minutes 46 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Marc E. Heuck and Heidi Honeycutt, an audio commentary with Shawn Langrick that focuses on the locations, and a trailer gallery for other films also available from Grindhouse Releasing.

Easter Eggs on disc one are a Q&A from 2024 with Christopher Augustine and Gayle Davis at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood, this can be found on the main menu (47 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with filmmaker Buddy Giovinazzo, this can be found on the main menu (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras on the second Blu-ray disc include a documentary titled Hollywood Dreams: The Making of Hollywood 90028, features interviews with editor Leon Ortiz-Gil, and actors Christopher Augustine, Jeanette Sears, and Gayle Davis (68 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a Q&A from 2022 titled Christopher Augustine at the New Beverly (38 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Tom DeSimone titled Tom and Tina: The Early Years (24 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), short films directed by Christina Hornisher: 4 x 8 = 16 (2 minutes 52 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), The Sun is Long (6 minutes, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), And On the Sixth Day (5 minutes 11 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and Sister of the Bride (21 minutes 17 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and a split-screen now and then locations featurette titled Los Angeles: Here and Gone (4 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Easter Eggs on disc two are a clip from a TV show show called Disco Teen, this can be found via Production Credits (7 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and a short film starring Dick Glass titled The Erotic Director, this can be found on the main menu (30 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcase, a CD with composer Basil Poledouris’ 14-track score and three bonus tracks, and a 28-page booklet with a forward about Hollywood 90028 written by Jim VanBebber, an essay titled Christina Hornisher: Alone with that Obscene Image of Yourself written by Marc E. Heuck,  an essay titled Dick Glass: The Elephant in the Room written by David Szulkin, and an essay titled Basil Poledouris; a Musical Love Letter from Beyond written by Richard Kraft.

Summary:

Christina Hornisher directed Hollywood 90028, which is the only feature film in her filmography; the rest consist of short films and a TV film.

A struggling photographer working as a cameraman in the pron industry takes out his frustrations on women by strangling them.

Hollywood 90028 is also known by the more salacious titles The Hollywood Hillside Strangler and Twisted Throats. These alternate titles give the impression that this is an exploitation film, when in reality it's an arthouse film with some grindhouse elements. Though its opening set-up sets the bar high, what follows is a long stretch; the narrative moves at a deliberate pace as characters do mundane things.

What is Hollywood 90028? Is it a horror film? Is it a psychological melodrama? The answer is both of these things. A character study with horror elements is the best way to describe Hollywood Number 90028. That said, though the horror elements take a backseat to the character-driven moments, there’s never a shortage of unsettling moments.

For most of the cast, Hollywood 90028 was the first film, or they had limited onscreen credits. Though none of the cast have more than six acting credits, the performances actually work well within the confines of the story that unfolds. Christopher Augustine, who portrays the protagonist, bears a lot of weight since his character is in every moment. He delivers a strong performance that shines brightest in the moments he shares with Jeannette Dilger, whose character is a love interest for the protagonist.

Despite there being long stretches where little happens outside of the ordinary, that is not to say that Hollywood 90028 is not a beautifully photographed film. Another draw for many is its location, Los Angeles in the early 1970s. Hollywood 90028 offers a time capsule view of Los Angeles that now feels so distant. Even the famous Hollywood sign plays a significant role in the story that unfolds.

From a production standpoint, Hollywood 90028 is a technically sound film. It is a shame that Christina Hornisher did not make another feature film. Also, despite porn being one of the backstories, what appears on screen never goes beyond softcore erotica. Ultimately, Hollywood 90028 is a deceptive film that, viewed through the right lens, can be an engrossing character study.

Grindhouse Releasing has put together an impressive release that comes with a wealth of extras, notably all of Christina Hornisher’s contributions as a director. This release makes for a definitive presentation with its solid audio/video content, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer