Impact - VCI Entertainment (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1949
Director: Arthur Lubin
Writers: Dorothy Davenport, Jay Dratler
Cast: Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, Anna May Wong

Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 110 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Millionaire industrialist, Walter Willams, has it all, power, money, success and a supposed, idyllic life with his young, beautiful wife, Irene. When a business trip to Denver arises, Walter decides to take his wife along, hoping to turn the scenic ride over the mountains via Lake Tahoe into a mini vacation. However, things begin to go awry when Irene claims she's ill and can't go but insists Walter give a ride to her poor "cousin," who is hitchhiking his way home to Evanston, Illinois. The "cousin" is actually Irene's lover, Jim Torrence, and he is there to carry out his and Irene's plot to murder Walter. But in a twist of fate, after Jim's attack upon Walter, and while Jim is fleeing the scene, he is killed in a head-on collision. Once the bloodied, very shaken, and very bewildered Walter awakens and pieces together what all had happened, he claims amnesia and goes into hiding, with the hope of somehow bringing Irene to justice.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.5/5

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

Disc Size: 21.3 GB

Feature: 19.8 GB

There is no information provided about this transfer's source. Though there are a few minor source-damaged moments, the bulk of the transfer is in great shape. Image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any egregious digital filtering of the image.

Audio: 3/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though there is a mild background hiss, it is never overbearing; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, range-wise, this audio track is satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background (poster/lobby cards/stills), and an audio commentary with Bernard M. Prokop, associate professor, Colorado Christian University. 

Included is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included with this combo release.

Summary:

Arthur Lubin directed the impact. He also directed The Phantom of the Opera, The Thief of Baghdad, and six Francis the Talking Mule films.

An unfaithful wife and her lover come up with a way to get rid of her husband. When things don’t go as planned, the wife becomes the lead suspect in her husband's murder.

Impact does a phenomenal job laying the foundation in its opening setup. It introduces the key characters: a loving husband who is oblivious to his wife's infidelities, a black widow wife, and her equally cold-blooded lover. The wife makes an excuse not to go on a trip with her husband. She convinces him to pick up her lover, disguised as her cousin, knowing he will be vulnerable on his long trip. Her lover is supposed to kill and make it look like an accident when the moment arrives.

Though it is the aforementioned crime that sets everything in motion, it is the cover-up that drives the narrative. The middle section of the narrative sees the wife go to jail for killing her husband, while he is still very much alive and recovering from a head injury. In the last act he reveals that he’s still alive, and instead of being grateful, his wife shifts the blame of her lover's death on him. Everything builds toward a final twist where the guilty party will finally be held accountable.

When it comes to performances, the cast is very good in their roles, especially Brian Donlevy (The Glass Key), who portrays the husband who narrowly escapes death. The other performance of note is Helen Walker’s (Brewster's Millions) pitch-perfect portrayal of the femme fatale wife. Notable cast members include Charles Coburn (The Devil and Miss Jones) in the role of the detective assigned to the murder, Ella Raines (Phantom Lady), who portrays a new love interest for the husband, and Anna May Wong (Daughter of Shanghai), who portrays the husband's housekeeper.

From a production standpoint, Impact is a film that does very well with its resources. There is one moment in Impact that comes up short; a car collides with a tanker, resulting in a painfully obvious miniature shot. Though the narrative has a few lulls, there are enough twists and turns that things never come to a halt. Impact is a film that firmly fits into the Film noir genre, and yet there are things about it that are not in line with what one expects from a Film noir. That said, the visuals lack the style that one associates with Film noir. Ultimately, Impact is a well-made Film noir that fans of this genre are sure to enjoy.

VCI Entertainment gives Impact a good release that comes with a serviceable audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1979
Director: Russ Meyer
Writers: Roger Ebert, Russ Meyer
Cast: Kitten Natividad, Ann Marie, Ken Kerr, June Mack, Patrick Wright, Henry Rowland, Robert E. Pearson, Michael Finn, Sharon Hill, Don Scarborough, Aram Katcher, DeForest Covan, Steve Tracy, Uschi Digard, Stuart Lancaster, Candy Samples, John Furlong, Russ Meyer

Release Date: January 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 2 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10+
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"The final feature produced, photographed, edited and directed by Russ Meyer is a wicked take on Our Town, co-written by Meyer and Pulitzer Prize winner Roger Ebert (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls). Russ’ latter-day muse Francesca ‘Kitten’ Natividad stars – along with Uschi Digard, Ann Marie, June Mack, Candy Samples and Russ himself – in this unwashed look at Small Town, U.S.A., complete with faith healers, war criminals, bosom buddies and the loin-girding quest for sexual salvation." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Because the original elements for Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens had been stored in less-than-optimal conditions, Severin Films devoted months to the painstaking restoration of its weather-damaged negative before scanning it in 4K and compiling over 2 hours of new and archival footage, all with the blessing and cooperation of The Russ Meyer Trust."

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.4 GB

Feature: 59.3 GB

Though Severin Films has done a great job considering the source's limitations, it is not in as good of shape as the other two Russ Meyer films they recently released. There are instances of color variations and occasional instances where the image flickers; fortunately, these are very mild and never intrusive. Image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and the image retains an organic look. That said, the source is a noticeable improvement over all of this film's home media releases.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.7 GB

Feature: 26.8 GB

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

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Though Severin Films has done a great job considering the source's limitations, it is not in as good of shape as the other two Russ Meyer films they recently released. Though there are no issues with background hiss or sibilance, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, not only does the audio sound better than ever, it is difficult to imagine it sounding any better.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with co-writer/producer/cinematographer/editor/director Russ Meyer.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Talk It Over – Ellen Adelstein Interviews Russ Meyer For Her Tucson Talk Show In 1979 (23 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Ellen Adelstein titled Still Talking It Over (7 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Kitten Natividad titled The Latin Brünhilde (17 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with Russ Meyer.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

The residents of Small Town USA are overcome by carnal delights.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is the last film in a trilogy of Vixen films; the other two films are Vixen and Supervixens. Though the Vixen films are self-contained, Russ Meyer was one of the first filmmakers who created his own cinematic universe where characters would appear in multiple films. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is a sexy spoof of Our Town.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens marked the end of an era; it is the final theatrical feature film directed by Russ Meyer. A planned fourth Vixen film, titled The Jaws of Vixen, never materialized. Russ Meyer's output after Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens consists of a few documentaries and the unfinished mockumentary titled The Breast of Russ Meyer.

A narrator oversees the events, but some moments feel like vignettes loosely connected to the main story. The main focus of the narrative is a husband and a wife who are going through a rough patch. The wife has an insatiable sex drive; unfortunately, her husband can only get aroused when he backdoors her. Wanting to cure her husband of his anal fetish, the wife assumes another identity to lure and drug her husband so she can have her way with him. Other colorful characters in Small Town USA are a huge-breasted evangelical radio preacher, a dentist/marriage counselor, and a Nazi war criminal.

When it comes to the performances, it is not hard to get caught up in the cast's enthusiasm. Though the cast is filled with busty beauties, it is clear that Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is a star vehicle for Kitten Natividad, Russ Meyer’s muse at that time. When her character is not wearing an Alice in Wonderland-like dress, she’s nude. She delivers a captivating performance that steals every moment she’s in. Other performances of note are Anne Marie, who portrays a huge-breasted evangelical radio preacher, and Uschi Digard, who reprises her role from Supervixens.

From a production standpoint, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens takes all of the elements that have become synonymous with the cinema of Russ Meyer and turns them up to 11. The humor is tongue firmly in cheek, and it's laced with sexual innuendo. Visually, Russ Meyer always ensures his leading ladies ample assets are fully exploited, and once again he uses the beneath-the-mattress camera angle to great effect. The most surprising aspect of Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is its choice of music; songs like That Old Time Religion, When the Saints Go Marching In, and The Ride of the Valkyries do a superb job of reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Russ Meyer delivers a highly entertaining swan song with Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens gets a definitive release from Severin Films, 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

Supervixens – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1975
Director: Russ Meyer
Writer: Russ Meyer
Cast: Shari Eubank, Charles Napier, Uschi Digard, Charles Pitt, Henry Rowland, Christina Cummings, Colleen Brennan, John Lazar, Stuart Lancaster, Deborah McGuire, Glenn Dixon, Haji, 'Big Jack' Provan, Garth Pillsbury, Ron Sheridan, John Lawrence, Fred Owens, John Furlong, Paul Fox, Ann Marie, John Steen, Stan Berkowitz, Richard S. Brummer, Russ Meyer

Release Date: January 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 29 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10+
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"Following the ‘serious’ features The Seven Minutes and Black Snake, this 1975 return to form written, photographed, edited, produced and directed by Russ Meyer remains perhaps his most over-the-top and savagely entertaining epic of all: When a hot-blooded wife (Shari Eubank) and a psychotic cop (a startling performance by Charles Napier of The Blues Brothers fame) come together, it will ignite a cross-country odyssey of violence, vengeance and relentless coitus." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "now restored by Severin Films in conjunction with The Russ Meyer Trust and scanned in 4K from the original negative stored at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences."

Supervixens comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.5 GB

Feature: 60.3 GB

The source is in excellent shape; it is vastly superior to all of this film’s previous home media releases. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Also, grain remains intact, and the image always retains an organic look.

Supervixens comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.5 GB

Feature: 30.3 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. Like the video, Severin has done a fantastic job with the audio. The audio is in excellent shape; there are no sibilance issues, dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, not only does the audio sound better than ever, it is difficult to imagine it sounding any better.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with writer/cinematographer/editor/producer/director Russ Meyer.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a TV spot (33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Mike Carroll’s archival interview with Russ Meyer titled Russ Meyer Versus The Porn-Busters (23 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival extra titled The Incredibly Strange Film Show Season 1, Episode 5: Russ Meyer (39 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Charles Napier titled The Return of Harry Sledge (18 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Russ Meyer.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

A man wrongly accused of murdering his wife finds himself constantly in trouble and surrounded by oversexed women.

Supervixens is a sort of sequel to Vixen, and a third film, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, rounds out this loose trilogy of films. The three films that are part of the Vixen trilogy are parody sex comedies with big bosoms and outrageous sex scenes. Though the Vixen films are self-contained, Russ Meyer was one of the first filmmakers who created his own cinematic universe where characters would appear in multiple films.

By the time that Russ Meyer directed Supervixens, he had firmly established his brand of cinema. And though others have tried to copy or pay homage to Russ Meyer, it’s not possible to recapture something uniquely him. That said, Russ Meyer was more than just a filmmaker who worked in sexploitation; he was an auteur in the truest sense of the word.

The opening moment of Supervixens is pure perfection. There is a sexy woman at a gas station, and the attendant is trying to calm down his girlfriend while the woman flirts with him. While this is all unfolding, Russ Meyer cuts between the gas station and the girlfriend raging on the other end of the phone. The tone and pace of this sequence do a phenomenal job laying the foundation for what follows.

When it comes to casting, one thing you can’t always count on with a Russ Meyer film is a bevy of busty women. Though all of the women in Supervixens leave a lasting impression, the most memorable performance is Shari Eubank, who portrays two characters, Supervixen and Superangel. These two characters are like mirror images; one is good, while the other is bad. She delivers a captivating performance, and it is a shame she would only appear in one more film.

The other performance of note is Charles Napier (Cherry, Harry & Raquel!), who portrays a psychotic cop named Harry Sledge. Though there are several characters who are violent, they are all tame compared to Harry’s brand of violence. In one scene, he stomps a woman within an inch of her life, and then he finishes her off by throwing a radio into the tub and electrocuting her. Other notable cast members are John Lazar (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls) and Uschi Digard (Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens), who portrays a hypersexual Austrian mail order bride.

From a production standpoint, Supervixens is a film where everything perfectly falls into place. Things move quickly, and pacing is never an issue; the well-executed narrative does a superb job building momentum to its outlandish finale. Humor once again plays a significant role, and it never misses the mark. Also, Russ Meyer’s visuals never miss an opportunity to show off the ample assets of its leading ladies. Ultimately, Russ Meyer was at the top of his game with Supervixens, a film that is arguably his best.

Supervixens gets a definitive release from Severin Films, 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

Vixen – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1968
Director: Russ Meyer
Writers: Robert Rudelson, Russ Meyer, Anthony-James Ryan
Cast: Erica Gavin, Garth Pillsbury, Harrison Page, Jon Evans, Vincene Wallace, Robert Aiken, Michael Donovan O'Donnell, Peter Carpenter, John Furlong, Jackie Illman, Russ Meyer, Vic Perrin

Release Date: January 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 71 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10+
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"Amid the cultural chaos of 1968 and armed with a budget of only $70,000, producer/director/cinematographer Russ Meyer transcended sexploitation by crafting this “bosomacious melodrama” (Time Magazine) about racism, communism, bush pilots, draft dodgers and a ferociously free-spirited wife named Vixen (the incredible Erica Gavin of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Caged Heat)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Vixen is now scanned in 4K from the original negative restored by The Museum of Modern Art".

Vixen comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 52.2 GB

Feature: 51.1 GB

The source is in excellent shape; it is vastly superior to all of this film’s previous home media releases. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Also, grain remains intact, and the image always retains an organic look.

Vixen comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.8 GB

Feature: 20.5 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. Like the video, Severin has done a fantastic job with the audio. The audio is in excellent shape; there are no sibilance issues, dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. That said, not only does the audio sound better than ever, it is difficult to imagine it sounding any better.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with actress Erica Gavin, moderated by David Gregory, and an archival audio commentary with co-writer/producer/cinematographer/co-editor/director Russ Meyer.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles),1981 censor prologue for Vixen;s theatrical re-release (1 minute 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival featurette with Erica Gavin and actor Harrison Page titled Woman... or Animal? (20 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival extra titled David Del Valle's The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer And Yvette Vickers (21 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Marc Edward Heuck titled Entertainment... or Obscenity?, he discusses Vixen’s historic Cincinnati censorship battles (13 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Erica Gavin and David David Gregory, and an archival audio commentary with Russ Meyer.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

In the wilderness of Northwest Canada are a husband and wife who operate a retreat for those wanting to get in touch with nature. While her husband is busy working, the wife is a nympho who has sex with everyone she comes into contact with except her brother's friend.

Unless you have lived a very sheltered life, Russ Meyer is a name that is instantly recognizable to fans of 1960s/70s softcore films. He is most known for Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. He financed all of his films, except Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and The Seven Minutes, both of which were studio films he made for 20th Century Fox. That said, he was more than just a director; he also wrote, edited, and photographed most of his films.

Vixen was the first film that the MPAA gave an X rating. Also, it was not the first or last time that a Russ Meyer film faced censorship issues. Though the sheer amount of nudity and the incest subplot played a role in Vixen receiving an X rating, the way in which Russ Meyer uses these things is never vulgar. When it comes to nudity and sex, there is always a playfulness to them in Russ Meyer films. And when it comes to controversial subject matter, Russ Meyer’s subversive humor always shines through.

All of Russ Meyer’s most celebrated films are known for their leading ladies, and Vixen stars Erica Gavin in the role of the protagonist. She delivers a pitch-perfect portrayal of a character with an insatiable sex drive who's not interested in a deeper connection. Another strength of her performance is how Russ Meyer never wastes an opportunity to show off her ample assets.

Though Vixen has all the elements that one expects from an exploitation film, it is also a film that very effectively uses social commentary on issues like racism and communism. Vixen is blunt in its exploration of racism; the dialog is filled with racist remarks, many of which are rooted in stereotypes. When it comes to communism and some of the other issues, Vixen takes these ones with a tongue firmly in cheek.

Though the narrative is well-crafted, and it does a great job building momentum, it is the visuals that drive things. The most memorable moments are a scene where the protagonist dances with a fish and puts it between her breasts and a scene where the protagonist sleeps with her brother after showering with him. Where the protagonist's other sexual encounters are full of passion, her encounter with her brother is animalistic.

Russ Meyer’s career went through stages; he started in nudie cuties, then shifted into a gothic period, and made a few melodramas. From Vixen onward, Russ Meyer finally had his template: films with subversive humor, an ample amount of nudity, and busty women. Ultimately, Erica Gavin's phenomenal performance greatly aids Vixen, a highly entertaining mix of sex, satire, and social commentary.

Vixen gets a definitive release from Severin Films, 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

Snake Eyes – Kino Lorber (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1998
Director: Brian De Palma
Writers: Brian De Palma, David Koepp
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise, John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw, Kevin Dunn, Michael Rispoli, Joel Fabiani, Luis Guzmán, David Anthony Higgins, Mike Starr, Tamara Tunie

Release Date: December 31st, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)

"Nicolas Cage plays Rick Santoro, a flamboyant Atlantic City police detective who’s come to watch the fight and cash in on the hectic betting action. Suddenly, gunfire cuts down a ringside government official, and 14,000 fans become 14,000 suspects. What eyewitnesses saw, what a casino-wide spycam network reveals and what a mysterious woman in white (Carla Gugino, Sin City) knows—all lead to a shattering truth Santoro does not want to believe." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 16bit 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative."

Snake Eyes comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 76.1 GB

Feature: 73.7 GB

This new transfer is a massive improvement over this film’s previous home media releases; the source looks excellent. The most notable area of improvement is color grading. This new transfer’s color grading is like watching the film for the first time. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Snake Eyes comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.8 GB

Feature: 31.8 GB

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

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. You can’t go wrong with either audio track; that said, the 5.1 audio track sounds outstanding. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and appropriately robust. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with film historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. Though the audio commentary discusses the original ending, they only provide minimal information about it.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson.

Other extras on the Blu-ray disc include trailers for Face/Off, Dressed to Kill, Blown Away, Turbulence, Out of Sight, The Usual Suspects, and Ronin.

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A corrupt police officer becomes entangled in the cover-up that follows the assassination of the secretary of defense.

Though Brian De Palma often gets criticized for copying Alfred Hitchcock. Over the of his seven decade career he’s amassed an impressive resume that’s highlighted by films like Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface and Carlito’s Way. That said, though his output over the last twenty-five years pales in comparison to the films he made from the 1970’s through the mid-1990’s. Though his output over the last 25 years pales in comparison to the films he made from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, one film stands out: Snake Eyes.

Brian De Palma is one of the best American directors to work in the thriller genre. When watching a Brian De Palma film, visuals always play a significant role, and with Snake Eyes, he once again delivers strong visuals that enhance the story. And when it comes to opening moments that hook you, few filmmakers deliver more than Brian De Palma. Snake Eyes opens big with a lengthy tracking shot, which follows the protagonist, introduces other characters, and culminates with an assassination. This exemplary sequence is a masterclass in building tension.

The opening tracking shot is just one of many visually arresting moments in Snake Eyes. In another standout moment, the ringleader behind the assassination is looking for the woman who can identify him. They put their ear to a door, and a crane shot gives an overhead view of several rooms. Another technique that Brian De Palma uses to great effect is split screen. Though known for his stylish visual set pieces, Brian De Palma is also a filmmaker who knows how to use sound; this is especially clear throughout Snake Eyes.

When it comes to the performances, all of the cast are great in their roles, especially Gary Sinise (Ransom), who portrays Commander Kevin Dunne, the childhood friend of Rick Santoro. There is a calmness to his performance that perfectly offsets Nicolas Cage’s performance. Another performance of note is Carla Gugino (Sin City) portrayal of Julia Costello, a government whistleblower who is now marked for death. Her character is the only one that you feel sorry for; everyone else in Snake Eyes is morally corrupt.

Headlining Snake Eyes Nicolas Cage (The Rock), who’s cast in the role of the protagonist Rick Santoro. Though he is known for his operatic performances, he really kicked things into high gear during this time of his career. That said, he delivers another scene-stealing performance that does not disappoint. Once again Brian De Palma puts together an extraordinary cast of secondary characters, including one of my all-time favorite character actors, Luis Guzmán (Carlito’s Way).

Modern cinema often relies on formulas or rehashes of successful formulas. Though a filmmaker like Brian De Palma is known for reusing things from the past, he does it in such a way that it feels new. When it comes to creating suspense and maintaining tension, Brian De Palma is among the best. That said, though Snake Eyes is not De Palma’s most perfect example of how to make a thriller, there are more than enough moments of brilliance in Snake Eyes that it is not difficult to forgive the things that just don’t gel. Ultimately, Snake Eyes is arguably Brian De Palma’s most underrated film.

Snake Eyes gets a solid audio/video presentation; highly recommended despite its lack of extras.

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