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

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1976
Director: Russ Meyer
Writers: Russ Meyer, Anthony-James Ryan, Roger Ebert
Cast: Edward Schaaf, Robert McLane, Elaine Collins, Candy Samples, Su Ling, Janet Wood, Linda Sue Ragsdale, Raven De La Croix, Monty Bane, Marianne Marks, Larry Dean, Bob Schott, Foxy Lae, Ray Reinhardt, Kitten Natividad

Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 80 Minutes 17 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

"Welcome to a sex-blasted burg in Northern California where sodomized Führers, ravenous piranha, sapphic ecstasy, murder mystery, Shakespearean appropriation and the remarkable Raven De La Croix collide, with Kitten Natividad – in her RM Productions debut – as The Greek Chorus of it all." - 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, "This 4K restoration was produced by Severin Films and RM Films International.

The film was scanned from the 35mm original camera negative at Illuminate Studios Hollywood, with color and restoration work by Severin Films".

Up! comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.3 GB

Feature: 58.2 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.

Up! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 25.3 GB

Feature: 23.1 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 an audio commentary with film historian Elizabeth Purchell.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a radio spot (30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Raven De La Croix titled No Fairy Tale...This! (18 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film Elizabeth Purchell.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

A busty hitchhiker who has just arrived in town is besieged by perverts and ne'er-do-wells.

Though humor is central to the cinema of Russ Meyer, from Vixen! onward it reached a level of outrageousness that would reach its apex with Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens. The humor in Up! leaves no subject unscathed; in the opening setup, there is a character named Adolph Schwartz, who looks a lot like Adolph Hitler. This character has a dungeon, and they are into kinky things like being sodomized. Someone holds a grudge against Adolph Schwartz, and they kill him by putting piranha in the bathtub. This opening setup does a phenomenal job of setting the tone and laying the foundation for what follows.

Russ Meyer is known for casting buxom women and photographing them in such a way that they always look ravishing. Another thing that he excelled at was discovering new talent for his films, and with Up! Raven De La Croix was his latest find. She portrayed a character named Margo Winchester, who, from the moment she arrives on screen, men are easily distracted in her presence. It is a shame that she would never work with Russ Meyer again, since she had all the right assets and delivered an exemplary performance.

Another performance of note is Janet Wood (The Centerfold Girls), who portrays Sweet Li'l Alice, a woman who runs a diner with her husband. Kitten Natividad, who would go on to star in Russ Meyers' next film, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, portrays The Greek Chorus, a character who serves as a narrator. Her character spends all of their screen time naked, climbing and straddling trees. That said, when it comes to the performances, everyone is game as they fully embrace whatever they are asked to do.

Though the narrative follows a linear path, it feels more like a series of loosely connected vignettes. There is little in the way of exposition, as the main focus is characters having sex or doing outrageous things. The narrative moves briskly, and a lot actually happens despite the relatively short running time of 80 minutes. Another strength of the narrative is how you never know where it will go next, and when the killer's identity is finally revealed, it is a genuine surprise.

As mentioned before, humor is central to the story that unfolds, and a recurring gag involves a sheriff who spends his time seeking sexual favors instead of fulfilling his duties. An area where Up! excels is Russ Meyer’s editing; his use of sound and juxtaposition of images does a superb job of enhancing mood. When it comes to the sex scenes, Russ Meyer had a knack for putting characters in the most absurd positions and unusual places. Ultimately, Up! is another highly entertaining film from Russ Meyer, a truly unique filmmaker who rarely compromised.

Up! 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

The House of Lost Souls – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writer: Umberto Lenzi
Cast: Joseph Alan Johnson, Stefania Orsola Garello, Matteo Gazzolo, Laurentina Guidotti, Gianluigi Fogacci, Hal Yamanouchi, Licia Colò, Costantino Meloni, Charles Borromel, Dino Jaksic, Marina Reiner, Beni Cardoso, Fortunato Arena, Massimo Sarchielli, Fabio Branchini, Giulio Massimini, Vincenzo Menniti

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"A group of young geologists get stranded in a dilapidated old hotel when their path home is washed out by the rain. This proves to be a wrong turn as the hotel comes alive with the vengeful spirits of the dead, hell-bent on taking their head chopping revenge upon the living. No one is safe in The House of Lost souls! " - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The House of Lost Souls comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.4 GB

Feature: 27.4 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. The flesh tones appear healthy, the colors appear correct, the image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with FX artist Elio Terribili titled Working with Umberto (18 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Claudio Simonetti titled The House of Rock (14 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival career spanning interview with director Umberto Lenzi from 2001 titled The Criminal Cinema of Umberto Lenzi (52 minutes 213 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Samm Deighan, and an audio commentary with Rod Barnett and Adrian Smith.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, and a rigid outer box.

Summary:

The House of Lost Souls is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The House of Clocks, The Sweet House of Horrors, and The House of Witchcraft.

Lost and needing shelter for the night, a group of friends stay at an abandoned hotel.

With The House of Lost Souls, Umberto Lenzi takes a The Shining-like scenario and makes it his own. Outside of the opening setup and one other moment, the bulk of the narrative takes place inside of the hotel. Its isolated location and decrepit-looking decor greatly enhance the mood. That said, the way in which Umberto Lenzi exploits this location is a textbook example of low-budget filmmaking that maximizes its resources.

This time around, Umberto Lenzi is clearly making a film geared toward a teenage audience. Like some other horror films he made around this time, Nightmare Beach and Hitcher in the Dark, there is a slasher-like vibe going on, albeit with a supernatural twist. Unfortunately, anyone looking for anything new will be disappointed since The House of Lost Souls is a film that relies heavily on well-worn horror cinema tropes.

Where past decades of Italian genre cinema relied on star power, often from foreign countries, to draw a wider audience, by the late 1980s films like The House of Lost Souls had casts who remained unknown. Though some blame can be attributed to dubbing, in either language the cast of The House of Lost Souls are lacking screen presence. Costantino Meloni, who portrays Gianluca, is another in a long line of annoying kids in Italian genre cinema. Massimo Sarchielli (The Conformist), who portrays the cemetery caretaker, a character who looks like one of the Super Mario brothers.

Though The House of Lost Souls is lacking in exposition, it tries to make up for it with its murder set pieces. Fortunately, when it comes to moments of carnage, this is one area where Umberto Lezni always delivers. The kills come by way of decapitation, the most memorable of which is a boy whose head is caught inside a washing machine. One of The House of Lost Souls' most durable assets is Claudio Simonetti’s score, which does a superb job heightening the mood. Ultimately, The House of Lost Souls is a predictable horror film that even this genre's most diehard fans will find a chore to get through.

The House of Lost Souls gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The House of Witchcraft – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Umberto Lenzi, Daniele Stroppa
Cast: Andy J. Forest, Sonia Petrovna, Susanna Martinková, Marina Giulia Cavalli, Paul Muller, Maria Stella Musy, Alberto Frasca, Maria Cumani Quasimodo, Cesare Di Vito, Tom Felleghy

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"An over-worked journalist recovering from a breakdown has been suffering from nightmares. To help ease his struggles, his wife takes him to an idyllic country home for the weekend. Nightmares soon turn to reality as the dark truth about the house threatens to undo all who dare stay the night." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The House of Witchcraft comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.7 GB

Feature: 26.8 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. The flesh tones appear healthy, the colors appear correct, the image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with FX artist Elio Terribili titled Artisan of Mayhem (19 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Nino Celeste titled The House of Professionals (18 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani, Nathaniel Thompson, and Troy Howarth.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, and a rigid outer box.

Summary:

The House of Witchcraft is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The House of Clocks, The Sweet House of Horrors, and The House of Lost Souls.

A man recently released from a psychiatric ward visits a home he saw in his dreams.

Looking over Umberto Lenzi’s 36-year career, it is impressive how he remained active throughout, even when many of his contemporaries struggled to find financing or just retired from filmmaking. A key to his longevity has to be his ability to move from genre to genre as trends shifted and constantly deliver solid films, in many instances despite limited resources. Out of all the Italian genre filmmakers prominent in the 1970s, his output in the 1980s, consisting of 16 films, is the most prolific.

The supernatural is the central element throughout The Houses of Doom films. The narrative revolves around a man whose marriage is in trouble, and his wife suggests they go to a home in the country to work on their issues. Once there, he gets a feeling of déjà vu when he recognizes that this house is the same one from his dream. From there, a series of bizarre events and disappearances occur, foreshadowing what he witnessed in his dreams.

Out of the four The Houses of Doom films, The House of Witchcraft has the strongest cast. When it comes to the performances, it is a trio of actresses who stand out: Sonia Petrovna (Ludwig), who portrays the protagonist's wife; Susanna Martinková (Detective Belli), who portrays the protagonist's psychiatrist (she is also his sister-in-law); and Maria Cumani Quasimodo (Five Women for the Killer), who portrays the witch from the protagonist's dreams. The weakest performance is Andy J. Forest (Miranda) in the role of the protagonist. It's not just a matter of dubbing; in either language he delivers a dry, one-dimensional performance. A cast member of note is Paul Muller, a frequent collaborator of Jess Franco; he portrays the blind man.

After a solid opening setup, the narrative never manages to create momentum, and pacing could be stronger. Though the narrative is dialogue-heavy, there are a few well-timed jump scares. That said, outside of the murder set pieces, there is not much else going for this film. The most memorable moments are the dream sequences, the interactions with the witch, and the car wreck sequence. The ever-reliable Claudio Simonetti (Opera) delivers a solid score that perfectly underscores the mood. Ultimately, The House of Witchcraft is a fairly conventional horror film that sometimes tries to explore the psychological aspects too deeply.

The House of Witchcraft gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Themroc: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1973
Director: Claude Faraldo
Cast: Michel Piccoli, Béatrice Romand, Marilù Tolo, Francesca Romana Coluzzi, Jeanne Herviale, Stéphane Bouy, Coluche, Madeleine Damien, Patrick Dewaere, Miou-Miou, Myriam Mézières

Release Date: May 19th, 2025 (UK), May 20th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 10 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Living at home with his mother, bachelor house painter Themroc (Michel Piccoli, Belle de Jour) leads a dull life. One day, after an unearned run-in with his boss, the usually docile Themroc rebels and dismantles his myopic world." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Themroc was restored in 4K resolution from the original camera negative by StudioCanal and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file."

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

Disc Size: 38 GB

Feature: 29.7 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones are healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. Shot on 16mm and blown up to 35 mm, the grain looks thick; that said, the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

There is no spoken dialog; characters cough, grunt, and speak gibberish. The audio sounds clean and balanced. Included are two removable English subtitles; the second of these two is more elaborate. It is essentially a descriptive audio translation of what is happening and heard.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (7 images - posters), an interview with film critic Manuela Lazic who discusses Michel Piccoli (23 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic David Thompson who discusses Themroc (23 minutes 19 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival French TV interview with actor Michel Piccoli and director Claude Faraldo (17 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Themroc: The Return of the Repressed written by Alison Smith, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

A house painter who lives with his mother and sister revolts against society after an incident at work.

There are no spoken words, just coughing, grunts, and other sounds. It is through characters' emotions and body language that they speak. Though the narrative moves in a linear way, its unconventional approach might present a challenge for some viewers. That said, if you embrace what the filmmaker is trying to achieve, it becomes easier to glean information as the story progresses.

All of the heavy lifting is done by the cast, especially Michel Piccoli (Contempt) in the role of the protagonist, a man who reaches his breaking point and smashes societal norms. Though the lack of dialogue seems daunting, the cast must have found freedom in not having to speak. Through gestures and expressions, you can express more than through words. The rest of the cast is filled with recognizable faces: Béatrice Romand (Claire’s Knee), Marilù Tolo (The Five Days), Coluche (Tchao Pantin), and Patrick Dewaere (Série noire).

Though Themroc deals with some subject matter that pushes boundaries, notably the protagonist's inappropriate relationship with his sister, the overall tone of the film is lighter than expected. It is clear that the director is approaching everything from a satirical view, and this is most apparent in how effectively it employs humor. Ultimately, Themroc is a unique cinematic experience and a brilliant deconstruction of the working class.

Themroc gets a definitive release from Radiance Films, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy: Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1990 (Erotic Ghost Story), Hong Kong, 1991 (Erotic Ghost Story II), Hong Kong, 1992 (Erotic Ghost Story III)
Directors: Lam Ngai Choi (Erotic Ghost Story), Peter Ngor (Erotic Ghost Story II), Lai Kai-Ming (Erotic Ghost Story III)
Cast: Amy Yip, Ha Chia Ling, Man So, Hitomi Kudo, Lam Chung (Erotic Ghost Story), Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Ichijo Sayuri, Charine Chan, Kwok Yiu-Wah, Chik King-Man, Amy Yip, Man So (Erotic Ghost Story II), Pauline Chan, Wong Tak-Ban, Shing Fui-On, Chik King-Man, Otomo Rena (Erotic Ghost Story III)

Release Date: March 3rd, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 89 Minutes 24 Seconds (Erotic Ghost Story), 98 Minutes (Erotic Ghost Story II), 95 Minutes 57 Seconds (Erotic Ghost Story III)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (All Films), LPCM Mono English (Erotic Ghost Story)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £39.99 (UK)

"This triple-bill of paranormal perversion delivers everything you’d want from a Category III movie, plus a bit more besides. In the first tale from Story of Ricki director Ngai Choi Lam, a trio of sexy spirits fall for the same hunk. The second movie, the directorial debut of Peter Ngor has the God of Carnal Desire, God Wu Tung on a quest for revenge after his favorite conquest is zapped by other god like beings and in the third piece from Kai-Ming Lai, a man journeys into the afterlife only to be greeted by a very powerful woman. A trilogy like no other, this one hits the spirited saucy spot." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Erotic Ghost Story), 4.5/5 (Erotic Ghost Story II, Erotic Ghost Story III)

Here’s the information given about the transfers, "Stunning new 2K restoration of the original Cantonese version and the extended Mandarin version."

Erotic Ghost Story comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.9 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB (Original Cantonese Version), 12.8 GB (Shorter Mandarin Version)

Here’s the information given about the transfers, "Stunning new 2K restoration of the original Cantonese version and the shorter Mandarin version."

Erotic Ghost Story II comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 27 GB (Original Cantonese Version), 12.1 GB (Shorter Mandarin Version)

Here’s the information given about the transfers, "Stunning new 2K restoration of the original Cantonese version and the shorter Mandarin version."

Erotic Ghost Story III comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB (Original Cantonese Version), 11.6 GB (Shorter Mandarin Version)

The transfers for each film look excellent, and Erotic Ghost Story is a noticeable improvement over 88 Films' 2022 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

Each film comes with a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. Erotic Ghost Story also comes with a LPCM mono mix in English, and there are removable English subtitles for Cantonese text. All of the audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, they handle ambient sounds well, and the score sounds robust.

Extras:

Extras for Erotic Ghost Story include a reversible cover art, a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Tai Seng trailer (1 minute 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Hong Kong theatrical trailer (2 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an episode of Celebrity Talk Show with James Wong, Ni Kuang and Chua Lam who visit the set of Erotic Ghost Story (47 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, an audio commentary with film critic and author Samm Deighan, and the extended Mandarin version (95 minutes 16 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles).

Extras for Erotic Ghost Story II include a reversible cover art, a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Hong Kong theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with Cantonese text with removable English subtitles), an archival Making Of featurette with actor Anthony Wong, scriptwriter Abe Kwong and assistant director Tenky Tin (15 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, and the shorter Mandarin version (92 minutes 36 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles).

Extras for Erotic Ghost Story III include a reversible cover art, a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, and the shorter Mandarin version (77 minutes 30 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with removable English subtitles).

Extras for this release include a rigid slipcase, 6 premium collector’s art cards, a double-sided fold out poster, and a 40-page booklet with an essay titled Sex is Satanic: How Female Sexuality is Demonised in the Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy written by Zoë Rose Smith, From an Ancient Past to an Unknown Future a Brief Introduction to Category III Cinema and Erotic Ghost Story written by Dylan Cheung, and archival images.

Summary:

Erotic Ghost Story was directed by Lam Ngai Choi, whose other notable films include The Seventh Curse, Her Vengeance, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, and The Cat. Erotic Ghost Story’s two main influences are The Witches of Eastwick and Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.

Despite the fact that sex and violence are the two elements that unite Cat III cinema, the best examples of Cat III cinema are the films that are balanced between these two elements. Films that lean more towards sex are the ones that do not hold up as well as films that are overtly violent or are a combination of sex and violence. A case in point is Erotic Ghost Story, a film that has an ample amount of sex and any violence is limited. That said, when it comes to violence, what few moments there are in Erotic Ghost Story are very effective moments, most notably a scene where three sister fox spirits witness a demon unleash his fury on a woman he has lured.

Anyone who has seen any of Lam Ngai Choi's films knows that they are not rooted in reality. He has directed some of the most adventurous films to emerge from Hong Kong in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. And though Erotic Ghost Story has many elements that tend to pop up throughout Ngai Choi Lam’s filmography, Erotic Ghost Story is his only foray into erotic cinema. That said, when it comes to this genre's tropes, he does a great job of mixing them with his cinematic style.

Though there are a few secondary characters, Erotic Ghost Story is ultimately carried by its four leads. In the roles of the three sister fox spirits are Amy Yip (Robotrix), Hitomi Kudô, and So Man, and Lap-Man Tan (City Hunter), in the role of a scholar who is seduced by the three sisters. That said, all three female leads have ample physical assets, which provides plenty of eye candy. Also, Amy Yip and So Man will return for Erotic Ghost Story II.

Besides an ample amount of nudity and some well-placed moments of erotica, sex also plays a significant role in the dialog. And, despite the fact that Erotic Ghost Story is softcore erotica, it throws in some martial arts for good measure. Ultimately, Erotic Ghost Story is a thrilling film that lives up to its name.

Peter Ngor directed Erotic Ghost Story II. He only directed four films, and he is more known for his work as a cinematographer on films like Mr. Vampire, Armour of God, On the Run, Sex and Zen, and Full Contact.

It is never surprising when a successful film spawns sequels or knockoffs, and this is what happened with Erotic Ghost Story, a film that had two sequels that are essentially variations of the same premise. The narrative for Erotic Ghost Story II begins with a recap of the events from Erotic Ghost Story. Besides the premise, another area where Erotic Ghost Story II connects to its predecessor is through cameos from two actresses, Amy Yip and So Man, who return, albeit in different roles.

The narrative revolves around two fox spirits who capture a demon’s lover and burn them at the stake, destroying his offspring. Angered, the demon wreaks havoc on humans, and the only way to appease him is to offer virgins. One of the women offered as a sacrifice resembles the demon's lover perfectly, prompting him to seek her out. That said, the narrative is overreliant on sex scenes, one of which lasts nine minutes.

The best part of Erotic Ghost Story II is Anthony Chau-Sang Wong’s (Hard Boiled) portrayal of a demon named Wu-tung. Once again he portrays an outrageous character, and the result is another exemplary performance. Another noteworthy performance is delivered by Ichijo Sayuri, who provides an equally delirious portrayal in the role of Chiu-Sheng, Wu-tung's demoness accomplice. Ultimately, Erotic Ghost Story II is an underwhelming sequel that is tonally different and lacks many of the things that made its predecessor work so well.

Lai Kai-Ming directed Erotic Ghost Story III. His notable films are The Blue Jean Monster, Daughter of Darkness, and The Peeping Tom.

After the letdown of its predecessor, I approached Erotic Ghost Story III with cautious expectations, and what I witnessed far exceeded my hopes. The narrative revolves around a swordsman who is drawn into the demon realm, and though he is engaged to another woman, he falls in love with a demon. That said, where its predecessor was over reliant on sex scenes, Erotic Ghost Story III does a superb job effortlessly blending them with exposition.

The most surprising aspect of Erotic Ghost Story is its performances, especially its two leads: Wong Tak-Ban, who portrays Chu Chung, the swordsman who falls in love with a demon, and Pauline Chan (From Beijing with Love), who portrays the demon who bewitched Chu Chung. Another performance of note is Shing Fui-On (Her Vengeance), whose character Reverend Wick provides the comedic relief. This character looks ridiculous with his chrome dome hairline, and it is interesting to see him in a role against type.

Erotic Ghost Story III does a better job than its predecessor at capturing the essence of Erotic Ghost Story. Another strength of Erotic Ghost Story III is how effectively it blends sex, humor, and action, and in the case of the latter, they are well-executed. The demon realm depicted in Erotic Ghost Story III is filled with debauchery, flesh-eating, and other sinful behavior. Though there are a few wild moments, the most memorable is a scene where Reverend Wick shrinks himself and crawls inside of the matriarch's demon witch's vagina. Ultimately, Erotic Ghost Story III is a perfect mix of fantasy and erotica, making it the superior of the two sequels.

Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy is an exceptional release from 88 Films that gives each film a solid audio/video presentation. Each film comes with its alternate Mandarin version and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer